


Underneath

by groffiction



Series: The Flames of Sacrifice [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Alpha Stiles, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Arson, Attempted Murder, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, BAMF Derek, BAMF Stiles, Beta Derek, Beta Stiles, Biting, Bloodplay, Blow Jobs, Bonding, Canonical Character Death, Claiming, Cyger Beta Erica, Derek Uses His Words, Derek and Stiles are Mates, Electrocution, Elven Sheriff, Elven Stiles, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Frotting, Hurt Derek, Hurt Stiles, Hurt/Comfort, Jackal Jackson, Light BDSM, Light Bondage, Loose Canon Season 1 & 2, M/M, Marking, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mayhem, Mild Gore, Murder, Oral Sex, Pack Dynamics, Pack Feels, Pack Mother Stiles Stilinski, Past Abuse, Read first chapter for full list of warnings, Rimming, Scenting, Slash, Torture, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Violence, Werecat Stiles, and more - Freeform, mpreg - talks about possibility, situations of abuse mentioned, some sterek underage sexual content but no intercourse until Stiles reaches 17
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-23
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2017-12-27 09:28:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 39
Words: 178,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/977164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/groffiction/pseuds/groffiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU, where Stiles gets bitten by a Cyger – a type of rare Weretiger around the same time Scott gets bitten by Peter. Confused and more than a bit freaked out, they both are naturally suspicious when Derek shows up out of the blue. Still, there is something about the moody, aloof werewolf that both intrigues and draws Stiles to Derek like a moth to a flame. But, everyone knows that if you get close enough to touch flames, you get burned. However, with the promise of love, is that burning sacrifice worth it? And how does a Weretiger and a Werewolf even work as mates? Very loose canon through season 1 and season 2 of Teen Wolf. Might have some things from Season 3, depending on where the story leads.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue & Chapter 1: Derek

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own anyone, though I totally wished I could have Sterek. Period. I am broke, so please do not sue! All you will get is two hungry senile elderly cats and some hairballs.

**Title: Underneath**  
 **Author: Groffiction**  
 **Rating: NC17** for the whole fic, though some chaps might be PG13 or R in rating  
 **Pairing(s): Derek Hale / Stiles Stilinski, and many others….**  
 **Summary:** AU, where Stiles gets bitten by a Cyger – a type of rare Weretiger around the same time Scott gets bitten by Peter. Confused and more than a bit freaked out, they both are naturally suspicious when Derek shows up out of the blue. Still, there is something about the moody, aloof werewolf that both intrigues and draws Stiles to Derek like a moth to a flame. But, everyone knows that if you get close enough to touch flames, you get burned. However, with the promise of love, is that burning sacrifice worth it? And how does a Weretiger and a Werewolf even work as mates? Very loose canon through season 1 and season 2 of Teen Wolf. Might have some things from Season 3, depending on where the story leads.  
 **Disclaimer: I don’t own anyone, though I totally wished I could have Sterek. Period. I am broke, so please do not sue! All you will get is two hungry senile elderly cats and some hairballs.**  
 **Warnings/Notes:** This is SLASH NC-17, meaning eventual sex between two males, rimming, blowjobs, frotting, scenting, claiming, bonding, kinkiness, lots of unresolved sexual tension, handjobs, marking, biting, nuzzling, pack feels, mates theme, bloodplay, vampirism, bondage, D/S themes, light BDSM. There is also gore, violence, attempted rape, torture, electrocution, arson, murder, and mayhem, some sterek underage sexual content but no intercourse until Stiles reaches 17. BAMF!Stiles, Weretiger!Stiles, Beta!Stiles, Werewolf!Derek, Beta!Derek, Alpha!Derek, BAMF!Derek. ***When I say loose canon for season 1 and season 2, it means I pick and choose what I want to be in my story and twist it around a bunch. Also, VERY long story, therefore the timeline moves a bit slower, and I am a plot obsessive author. So, sorry about that. Derek is also a bit out of character. Don’t worry – he will slam Stiles into walls like normal, it’s just I have him thinking things through more, and he actually uses his words. Stiles is also a bit out of character, but I tried to make him as snarky as possible.***

_Totally inspired by Adam Lambert’s song, Underneath. Hence the title. The lyrics can be taken either of Derek or of Stiles. I think it suits them both._

[](http://s897.photobucket.com/user/AzrielGROF/media/Underneath_zps1aa052ae.jpg.html)

###  **Prologue:**

Stiles Stilinski winced as he tried hard not to panic. This fucking _sucked._ He looked down at his hip, where his side was burning with a fire that he’d never felt before. It hurt to even breathe, much less assess what the hell had just happened to him. He bit his lip as he took note of how his shirt was practically ripped to shreds, and the whole blood thing wasn’t helping either. There was a huge wound on his right side, near his hip, and it was deep. 

True, Stiles had had several broken bones, bumps, and bruises in his past, but nothing compared to how bad this one felt. It felt as if his whole side was just a mass of fiery pain. It was practically _throbbing_ with pain. He tried to calm himself down, taking in that it was still nighttime, and that whatever-it-was that bit him was still out there. Stiles knew he needed to get out of there. And fast. He didn’t have to have a sixth sense to know that he was basically chopped liver for any predator out there, even if whatever-it-was that bit him decided he wasn’t all that tasty a dinner.

As he fought to stand, nearly crying out at the sharp pains lacerating his side, Stiles wracked his brain at the thought of what might have bitten him. All he could remember was lying to his dad about his best friend Scott McCall being out there in the forest with him, then heading back towards his jeep after his dad left him to go back to the “crime scene”, and then being attacked from behind. The creature hadn’t even given him time to get freaked out; the thing just tore into his side, ramming Stiles into the ground and roaring before bounding off into the darkness, leaving the boy bleeding, but so glad to be alive it wasn’t even funny.

Stiles could almost hear his dad saying in a resigned tone, _‘that’s what you get for sneaking off into the woods with your best friend just because you can’t leave well enough alone about crime scenes.’_ Fuck his own morbid curiosity. The boy panted shallowly as he finally righted himself against a tree. Feeling a bit sorry for himself, he couldn’t help thinking that it wasn’t his fault that he was naturally curious about this particular murder. Yea, Beacon Hills had murders, but what made this one different was the fact that they only found HALF off a body. As in, whoever – or whatever did this, must have been one very disturbed and psycho individual – human or not.

And he’d had to let his curiosity run ramped, even getting Scott involved. Speaking of his best friend, where did he go? Stiles looked around, again trying hard not to panic; well trying not to panic more than he already was. He hoped that whatever-it-was that bit him hadn’t gone after Scott. Biting his lip, Stiles tensed as he heard a growling howl off in the distance and then silence. After a few breathless minutes of waiting for something to attack him, when nothing did, Stiles fumbled with his pocket for his cell phone. 

Hopefully the thing still worked, because he had to admit that whatever-it-was that bit him had thrown him down on the ground pretty hard, giving the phrase ‘feeling like a sack of potatoes’ a whole new meaning to Stiles. As Stiles brushed down the screen of his cell phone, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Shivering, the boy looked around, wondering if he was in some bizarre dream due to watching way too many horror films in one night. The pain in his side suggested otherwise, and if he didn’t get out of there soon, he knew things were going to go from terrible to fucking worse. A sudden awful terror driven feeling settled like a hard block of ice in his stomach. 

So, Stiles started running. He had no idea why he felt the need to run, since it probably wasn’t going to keep him from being eaten, but he went with instinct. The instinct to survive was so apparent in his body, that Stiles ran as fast as he could, ignoring the screaming shoots of agony in his side. Stiles managed to get to his jeep and inside without incident. He then spastically locked the doors and curled in on himself, fearfully bracing himself for an attack, eyes clenched shut. When several minutes had passed and nothing had happened, Stiles opened his eyes and put his arms down, not even realizing that he had pulled them up to protect his face. 

Taking a few minutes to calm himself down, Stiles unlocked his phone again and noted he had a few texts from Scott. And they were pretty recent. The sense of relief that flooded Stiles was short lived as he read the texts.

_10:20 pm: Dude, thx for not giving me up to ur dad._

_10:22 pm: I will see you tomrw?_

_10:45 pm: …Stiles… I thnk somthin bit me!_

_10:46 pm: OMG, somthin DID bite me!_

_10:48 pm: I am NOT kidding. Lookie:_

Stiles looked at the picture, feeling a whole new sense of dread. He looked at the time as he started his car with trembling hands, noting that it was now 11:30. Trying to figure out if Scott had been attacked by the same creature that he had, Stiles looked around, taking more calming deep breaths. In, out. In, out. He was not going to get a fucking panic attack just because he and his best friend had been attacked. 

He nearly shot out of his seat when his phone rang. Stiles answered it, trying to sound NOT worried, and failing miserably, “Are you ok? Where are you dude?”

“Hey calm down, I am actually ok. The bite stings like a bitch but other than that I am ok. I am heading on the road to the clinic. It’s closer than my house is to the woods, so I figured might as well get some bandages and stuff from there.” Scott said with a laugh.

“Dude that is so not funny.” Stiles said, nearly punching his steering wheel to get his point across, even though he knew that Scott wouldn’t be able to see what he was doing. He didn’t know why, but he was suddenly angry as hell. “You could have gotten killed! And I am heading to the clinic too, so I will meet you there in a few.”

“What for? It’s just a bite. I mean, I nearly crapped my pants when the thing attacked me, but it let me live, so it’s cool! No need for you to come meet me or anything.” Scott said, amusement in his voice.

“Damnit, this is not cool Scott!” Stiles cursed vehemently, shivering as his side twinged with pain. Thank god the wound wasn’t hurting as much, but still. “I am meeting you at the clinic. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.”

“Jeez, chill out, man. I will see you there.” There was annoyance in Scott’s tone, but then he asked, “Wait, are _you_ ok?”

Stiles was silent for a moment before he gritted out, “Why do you think I didn’t call you when you texted me earlier about the bite?”

Scott breathed a sigh and guessed, “Because you were being chewed out by your dad?”

“No, you freakin’ loser. I didn’t call you because I got attacked as well, and I am fucking bleeding and shit all over my front seat!” Stiles said, finally pulling his jeep to the road and driving in the direction of the animal clinic, where Scott worked at part time. “So, yea, maybe I am being all pissy, but this is literally freaking me out.”

“Wait, you got bit too?!” Scott squeaked, and Stiles would have thought this was all a big joke to laugh at if it wasn’t for the fact that his side was still bleeding and aching. 

_“Oh my god,_ YES! Scott, yes I got fucking bit!” Stiles snapped before he hung up on his friend so he could concentrate on driving. 

Once Stiles got to the clinic, he noted that Scott was already there, putting some alcohol on his own wound. The boy looked up as Stiles came in and quickly hopped off of the surgical counter to get a good look at his friend. Stiles looked, well, he looked worse than he did, and Scott knew that the other boy was holding onto reality by a thread, if not even less than that. Scott quickly helped Stiles get cleaned up, and the other boy mumbled, “I am still mad at you.”

“Why are you mad at me?” Scott asked in confusion, putting some rubbing alcohol on Stile’s wound. “Jeez, Stiles, this looks worse than mine, and I thought I’d gotten a huge one.”

“Guess you were lucky then. Besides, it could have been two animals.” Stiles said and winced as Scott accidentally prodded too hard at his side. “As for being mad at you, that’s sort of a given. You run off, get friggin’ bit too, and you were LAUGHING it off, as if it was some sort of sick joke.”

Scott winced at that, before shrugging, “Well, I didn’t want to worry you. Plus, I thought you were still with your dad, and didn’t get bit either. It seemed plausible that you were safe, so I just laughed it off. I mean, you gotta admit that the irony of both of us getting bit by some weird wild animal is too funny.”

Stiles regarded his friend for a moment before snorting, not being able to stay mad at him for long. After both boys bandaged themselves up, Stiles looked at the time and cursed. “I am so going to be in deep shit if I don’t get home soon. Do you want me to drop you off?”

“Sure, but there’s something else I need to tell you first.” Scott said, this time looking a bit green and grossed out.

“Uh oh, do I need to get my big boy pants on? Because, you literally look like you are about to hurl. And I really do not want to clean that up.” Stiles teased before growing serious. “Ok, what do you need to tell me? I may have just taken a huge beating by a Werewolf, but I can handle it.”

“Werewolf? Seriously?” Scott smirked in amusement at Stiles.

“Well I mean, come on, I heard a wolf howling, and I don’t know about you but I’ve read somewhere that there hasn’t been any wolves in California for like 60 years.” Stiles defended himself, though now he was grinning.

Scott tensed a bit and mumbled, “Well, now that you mention it, I heard howling too. I thought it might have been a wolf, but I kind of just shrugged it off, you know?” At Stiles’ look he sighed and muttered, “Whatever.”

They cleaned up the area, Scott locked up and both boys were in Stiles’ jeep in minutes. They were almost all the way to Scott’s house, when Stiles asked him, “So, what was the big confession you were about to tell me before both of us got distracted on the subject of Werewolves?”

Scott shrugged, slowly smiling smugly, “I found the other half of the body.”

Stiles nearly swerved off the road at that and the act had both of them cursing softly. “Dude, chill out.”

“You are seriously telling me this?” Stiles waved his hand spastically as he explained, “I almost get killed, you almost get killed, by some weird unknown animal, which might or might not be the same thing that killed that poor girl, and you are telling me to chill out? Are you freakin’ nuts?!”

“Ok, ok, ok, sheez.” Scott had the grace to look sheepish before he finally tried to lift the mood, “At least we survived, right?”

“Yea, but something tells me there’s more to it than that. I mean, it seems like whatever it was that was out there, bit us, but then just let us go. It just seems weird to me, ok? Call me paranoid, but yea.” Stiles sighed deeply as he dropped his friend off.

After Scott shut the door, Stiles waved at him goodbye and headed home. Maybe things would look clearer when he got some sleep. 

_If_ he got some sleep….

###  **Chapter One: Derek**

Stiles rolled over and slapped aimlessly at his alarm clock. The thing was ancient, and he totally knew he could use his cell phone for an alarm, but the clock was sort of nostalgic. And Stiles liked keeping things that reminded him of his mother, who had passed away two years before. Though the piece of crap clock wasn’t really significant to him, Stiles still couldn’t seem to part with it. His mom had given it to him a long time ago when he first started grade school. It had put up with a bunch of beatings from both Stiles and Scott, whenever the other boy crashed there, but it still friggin’ worked, which was totally shocking, in of itself. 

Still, Mondays always sucked. Today sucked big time already, even if it hadn’t been a Monday, because it was the start of a new school year. True, Stiles usually liked school. He liked learning, reading, and spending time on the Lacrosse team, even though he usually was pretty good at warming the bench. But, what Stiles really _hated_ about today was the fact that he was _tired_. And not just the normal teenage-I-stayed-up-all-night tired. No, this was gut-wrenching, bone-dissolving tired. Managing only to get a few hours of sleep without nightmares plaguing him also didn’t help. So, Stiles finally turned off his alarm clock and nearly fell out of bed still trying to wake up. Ugh, why did the sunlight of this particular morning seem way too bright?

He squinted his eyes and finally untangled himself from his bed sheets, absently scratching his stomach as he tried to figure out what to wear. Stiles finally settled on a pair of blue jeans, a green Jawsome t-shirt, and a black hoodie. Matching socks and sneakers, and some plain white boxers topped it all off. He grabbed everything in a large pile and headed blindly for the bathroom. The boy didn’t pay much attention to the fact if his dad was home or not, not really caring since the Sherriff more often than not stayed overnight at the office. 

Once washed and dressed, Stiles felt a bit more awake as he padded down the stairs to the kitchen, pausing to pull a box of Cheerios out of the pantry in his wake. He was almost completely through his bowl of cereal when he suddenly shot up and reached for the bandage at his side. It was damp, and he cringed at the thought that he’d been so out of it he hadn’t even remembered to take it off while bathing. Still, he carefully pulled the bandage off and nearly dropped it at the sight of bare, but healed skin. The wound was gone. In its place, there was a ring of small scars, but otherwise completely scab-less bite marks. 

_What the fuck?_ Stiles thought as he rubbed his fingers over the area, biting his lip at the feel that it was still tender. Throwing the bandage in the garbage bin, Stiles sat back down with a small thud, noting that his dad was there for once, only sprawled out on the couch in the living room, dead to the world and snoring louder than a bear with allergies.

Feeling sort of apprehensive, Stiles checked his phone. Scott had sent him two messages, making him both snicker, and feel relieved that he wasn’t the only one who had freaky healing powers. 

_6:30 am : Mrn-ing, sunshine. I feel mre rsted._

_6:37 am : WTF?! My bite is gone!_

Stiles quickly texted back: _Mine 2_ , before he cleaned up the dishes, grabbed his backpack and headed out the door, passing his snoring dad as he went by. He put his stuff in his jeep and tensed. Something or someone was watching him. Stiles played it cool, and nonchalantly looked around, absently rubbing the soft fuzz on the nape of his neck. Seeing nothing but trees, houses, and the clear road ahead of him, Stiles shrugged and got into his jeep. Great, now he was paranoid.

Getting to school was a mundane chore, even though he’d gotten there earlier than most kids would even want to. He couldn’t help but want to please his dad this year, knowing that even though he got pretty good grades, he was still spastic and had the attention span of a gnat, so last year hadn’t been that great. Maybe this year he’d learn to actually focus and make something of himself. It was a futile effort to make himself feel special, but at least he tried.

Goals were good to have.

He knew that, even if he believed it for a totally different reason than what Finstock believed. The Coach of the Lacrosse team was weird, but in a strange way he cracked Stiles up, though he’d never tell Finstock that, even under the pain of most certain death. 

Getting out of his jeep, and locking it up, the brown eyed boy again felt the nagging sensation that someone or something was watching him. Tensing slightly, he looked around and finally made a frustrated sound. Either his paranoid-ness was getting ridiculously out of hand due to what happened last night, or there was actually someone or something out there watching him. Feeling a bit apprehensive and creeped out, Stiles adjusted his backpack, snatched up his Lacrosse stick and headed over to Scott, who was waiting for him near the front of the school waving like a lunatic.

Once he reached Scott, they both smirked and showed off their healed skin, because it was freakin’ amazing that both were not maimed or hurt anymore. Stiles nearly flipped out when he spotted Lydia move right past him, and he sighed. “She’s ignoring me again.”

Scott gave him a sympathetic look before he smiled, “Hey, who knows, she might be in more of your classes this year? Let me see your schedule so we can see which classes we are sharing.”

Stiles snickered and rolled his eyes, “Dude, I showed it to you a few days ago when we both went for registration. We have Chemistry, Econ, History, English, and Algebra together. Plus Lacrosse.”

Scott scrunched up his face a bit in concentration before he grinned at his buddy, “Ok, I so don’t remember that, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.” He patted Stiles on the shoulder as they walked into the big doors of the school. “This year is going to be spectacular. I can feel it.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

The first day of school was a pain in the ass to go through, and Stiles secretly thought their Chemistry teacher Harris was just a plain evil incarnate for giving them all homework. Seriously? Who even does that on the first day of school? Stiles was about ready to bang his head into his locker door by the time lunch rolled around. He spotted Scott coming towards him looking like someone had given him a bunch of happy pills. “How can you be so bright and cheery when it’s only LUNCH?” Stiles asked grumpily as he put some more books away into his locker.

Scott just beamed, “I gave a hot girl a pen.”

Stiles arched a brow, “Ok, so that’s a good thing?”

“She smiled at me. Her name is Allison and she is a new girl. But, that’s like not the best part.” Scott said with an even bigger grin. “I heard her talking to her mom outside the school on her cell phone while I was in CLASS getting ready to be bored out of my mind in Spanish.”

Stiles still didn’t get it for a moment until it finally dawned on him. “Oh my god, you have like super hearing powers?”

“I know, isn’t it great?” Scott suddenly reminded Stiles of a little puppy who had just received a toy for being good. “What about you?”

“Nope, no super –“ Suddenly Stiles cut off as he heard his name being murmured.

Looking around, Stiles noted that no one was staring at them or giving them weird eyes, but he couldn’t help feeling like someone HAD said his name. “That was weird.”

“What do you mean?” Scott asked, getting a puzzled look on his face as he leaned up against the lockers.

“Just a few seconds ago I thought I heard, no I KNOW I heard someone saying my name. But, I couldn’t tell who it was.” Stiles then shivered, “And it was you know, my real name, not ‘Stiles’, which how anyone would be able to pronounce it, I have no idea.”

“Well, it could have been Miss Morrell, the new Guidance Counselor. I heard she has a degree in Latin or something, so she might be really good with languages?” Scott nodded in the other direction behind Stiles.

Stiles turned and spotted the Counselor across the hall, talking to a few other teachers and he shook his head. “No, I could have sworn over my dead body that whoever it was who said my name was a guy.” Then he chewed on his lip before shrugging and following Scott to the lunch room, deciding to puzzle over the mystery guy later.

As both boys sat down at their own abandoned table, most peeps avoiding them like the plague, Stiles changed the subject, “Ok, so after practice, you want to go try and find your inhaler?”

“That might be a good idea, since those things cost my mom eighty bucks every time she has to replace one. I don’t want to piss her off this early in the school year.” Scott agreed, pausing to munch on a peanut butter sandwich. “Plus I’d have to tell her how I managed to lose it running for my life in the woods.”

Stiles nodded, taking a sip out of a small water bottle. “Gotcha. A pissed off Mama McCall is a scary one.”

“Uh huh.” Scott then changed the subject to Lacrosse, about hoping to make first line this year.

Stiles tuned him out for the rest of lunch, but only because he’d heard the other boy moon about making first line for the past summer, so he really didn’t feel bad about not paying much attention to the conversation. He had to admit though, when Scott wanted something, he usually got it. Stiles almost felt envious for that sort of drive. He’d never been that driven for something before, even before his mother had passed away. Stiles was more of an ‘ignore the problem until it goes away’ sort of boy, but h figured that he’d eventually grow out of it. 

He knew that it was pretty pathetic, pining over Lydia Martin since the third grade, especially since he knew for a fact that the beautiful strawberry blonde would never even spare him a second glance. But, he couldn’t help it. So, maybe he was driven; aka: driven to being a masochist, but it was irrelevant. Stiles was content to watch Lydia from afar. At least for now.

Unfortunately there wasn’t much else out of the ordinary for the rest of their classes for the day, so practice should at least give the boys some much needed interest before they both fell asleep from boredom. Scott got pushed around roughly in practice, while Stiles got to warm the bench for today. Stiles sighed, feeling more bummed out than usual about the thought of not getting a chance to practice. Apparently the coach thought Scott would do better against Jackson or any of the rest of the team. Turns out he might have been right.

Stiles gaped in shock as his buddy started catching the ball, not letting anyone take an actual goal in the net behind him. Woa, now this was interesting. Stiles watched as Scott continued to flourish, and eventually Finstock had Scott run the ball for a change. Scott then practically did a few flips and weaved in and around the players, making the sport seem really easy, before slamming the ball into the goal, grinning big. Stiles let out a celebratory whoop before his eyes flickered to something dark on the other side of the field. 

Stiles’ eyes widened as he caught sight of a very attractive, but moody looking young man, who looked to be in his early to mid-twenties. Something twinged in the back of Stiles’ mind, as if telling him that he should know this guy. The guy caught his eye and held it for quite a while. It could have been minutes or hours, Stiles couldn’t tell the difference. All that he knew was that this guy had the hottest hazel eyes he’d ever seen on anyone, boy or girl. Feeling his gut clench in a weird way, Stiles got distracted by Scott, who was waving at him. Stiles waived back with a goofy smile before turning to look at the guy again. Unfortunately the black haired hot guy was long gone by then, and Stiles didn’t know why, but he felt both dismayed and relieved.

That dude had had an intense stare, almost like the knowing gaze could burn into his soul just with one look. Feeling a bit creeped out by everything, Stiles got off of the bench to go congratulate his buddy for making first line. And though he was happy for Scott, and supported him one hundred percent, Stiles couldn’t help but draw his thoughts back to the mysterious hazel eyed man who had watched practice for a bit. 

It wasn’t until both Stiles and Scott were in the woods looking for the other boy’s inhaler, when the resemblance of the hot guy triggered a memory - a memory of a fire engulfing a house, and a sullen teenaged boy clinging to his older sister. Hale. That was his name. Derek Hale. Now that Stiles had a name to go with the face, he felt a bit calmer, though he couldn’t understand why. Instead of messing with these strange feelings and emotions, Stiles turned his attention to Scott, who was crouching down looking around an undisturbed pile of leaves on the forest floor. 

“Dude, I swear I left it around here somewhere. And the other half of the girl’s body was like right there.” Scott pointed a few feet in front of him. “God, I can still smell it.”

“Not the only one. That stinks.” Stiles commented, scrunching up his face in disgust. Ugh, it smelled like blood and rot, and he didn’t like it.

Scott looked up at him, brown eyes wide with shock before he grinned, “Stiles, you have like the same strange things going on with you too! I mean, I can see, hear, and smell things I shouldn’t be able to see, hear, and smell. Sounds like you have it too!”

Stiles rolled his eyes and grinned, in spite of himself, “Yea, but I am still trying to totally figure out if we got bitten by Werewolves last night, or if it was just some sort of wild animal, who probably took the other half of the body to its lair or something.”

Scott snorted at that before he shrugged, “Well I don’t know about any animal being a Werewolf, but it could have been a real wolf. I know you said that wolves haven’t been sighted in like 60 years, but maybe a few stray ones got loose from the local zoo or something?”

That was a plausible explanation, but Stiles’ attention snapped to someone who just appeared not even a hundred feet in front of them. He reached down and yanked on Scott’s grey hoodie, motioning to the figure standing with a determined scowl on his face. Derek did not look happy. Nope, not one bit. Then again, they were probably trespassing. Or were they? This was government seized land now, wasn’t it?

Stiles tensed slightly as the man started towards them, and he couldn’t help but size him up. Derek was wearing black jeans, black boots, a grey t-shirt, and a black leather jacket – the same apparel as earlier during practice. But, now that he was a bit closer, Stiles could really take in Derek’s appearance. His black hair was spiked slightly, and his skin was pale, but a good pale. There was a slight hint of five o’clock shadow on his face, but it just added to the hotness and dangerous look he was permeating. Yep, Derek was one scary looking dude, though Stiles had to admit the guy had taste.

“What are you doing here?” Derek demanded with a soft, but determined tone, “This is private property.”

He came to stand not even ten feet away from Scott and Stiles, and all Stiles could think of was the smell. And before he could stop himself, he was sniffing the air, taking in the older man’s scent. He didn’t know why it smelled so fucking good, but it did. It made his mouth water just from taking one breath. Derek smelled like a cross between fall leaves, damp mist, worn leather, and something else that was all unique to the man himself. Before Stiles realized what he was doing, he’d stepped closer to Derek. 

Derek’s unwavering gaze caught his own, and Stiles flushed, suddenly feeling uncomfortable lust rising in his veins. Shivering slightly, and trying not to totally have a sudden freak out moment, Stiles broke the tense stare. Why was he getting turned on by Derek? True, Stiles had always been curious about both sexes, but still! He hadn’t even met the guy before today and Stiles was already contemplating tackling Derek and rutting up against him like some horny fuck-crazed animal! Feeling more than a bit confused by how his body was reacting to Derek’s scent and presence, Stiles turned his attention to Scott, who was trying to look as harmless as possible.

“Sorry about that. We were just looking for something.” Scott said, before instinctively sniffing the air. His eyes became puzzled as he tried to figure out why Derek smelled sort of familiar. 

Derek narrowed his eyes at both of them as if contemplating either squashing them both under his feet like bugs, or eating them. Stiles didn’t know which mental image made him more squeamish. Though Stiles wasn’t looking at Derek anymore, actually trying hard NOT to, the boy was acutely aware of the man’s gaze. It was intense, as if Derek was trying to see into both boys’ souls. True, Stiles had a vivid imagination, and he’d been playing on his online roleplaying games way too much, but he couldn’t help but think that Derek had a connection to both Scott and him. Still, Stiles was never one to cower in the face of danger. And Derek was dangerous. Totally. Dude, even the guy’s looks alone should be outlawed. And Stiles should really keep his attention on what was happening at this very moment and not how Derek could totally Dom his ass and he’d have no problems with it.

 _What the fuck? Why am I even thinking about this now?_ Stiles thought in aroused horror. Not being able to distract himself from smelling the air again, Stiles caught onto something odd. Derek had a scent of a predator. Not like a villain or murderer, but of an ANIMAL predator. Though Stiles had no clue how he knew now what a predator smelled like, he blurted out, “Are you a Werewolf?”

Scott gaped at him as if he’d lost his mind. But, no matter how much Stiles wanted to put his foot in his mouth, what was done was done. 

Derek regarded him for one long tense moment before he answered with a question of his own, “If I said I was, what would it matter to you?” Mentally, Derek was trying to figure both boys out. 

The one to his right that was brown haired and brown eyed, and was wearing grunge clothes with beat up sneakers smelled like a new wolf. He had instantly sensed it coming from the boy when he had watched the Lacrosse practice. Now he knew at least who had been bitten by the mysterious Alpha wolf he had smelled in the area last night. As for the boy on his left, the one who had not even met him for five minutes before cluing into that Derek was a Werewolf; this one he couldn’t place. He knew that two had been bitten last night, but he hadn’t been sure if it was by the same Alpha, or if there had been two animals out in the Preserve turning humans. Regarding the boy carefully, Derek noted the regular grunge clothes with slight interest before he took in the boy’s features. Moles and freckles dotted the boy’s pale skin; he was lanky, lean, and had short buzzed brown hair and soft honey colored brown eyes. And any person with half a brain would get distracted from those long eyelashes and full lips. 

And his _scent_. God, he smelled **good**. Like freshly put on deodorant, spearmint, lemongrass, and his own unique scent that was currently driving Derek crazy with sudden arousal. He could smell the boy’s arousal as well. The teen was trying to hide it by looking elsewhere but in Derek’s direction. Feeling that he was staring too much, and was paying too much attention to a damned teenaged boy that could easily be six or seven years younger than himself, Derek forced his gaze back onto the other boy, who looked more confused than a bunch of chimps playing chess.

Scott was lost. Stiles could practically sense his brain oozing out of his ears from realizing that Derek was basically telling them that he was a Werewolf. So, Stiles figured it’d be best for him to do the talking until Scott got his head out of his ass. 

Unfortunately that meant Stiles had to look at Derek while speaking. _Damn._ Before Stiles lost his nerve, he started babbling, “Well, Scott and I both got bit last night and we were trying to figure out what sort of animal did it. But, it wasn’t a normal wolf, was it? Even if they got loose from the zoo, they still wouldn’t attack humans, right? And if they had, they would have eaten us. But they didn’t, so whoever it was that bit us must be something else, right? Someone who had enough thought process not to eat us alive. So, it might be a Werewolf….” He trailed off as Derek started looking annoyed.

He couldn’t help it. Stiles was a motor mouth at the best of times, and it was even worse when he felt threatened or under intense situations. 

_Fuck, the kid talks more than Laura does._ Derek thought before grief took hold of him momentarily. _**Did.** Talks more than she **did.**_ Crap, this was something Derek knew he had to get used to. But he so did not want to get used to knowing his sister was dead. 

Crushing loneliness and guilt overtook him, but Derek forced his way through it, hardening himself. He knew he didn’t have time to grieve. There was probably a loose Alpha out in Beacon Hills somewhere and he needed to find it before anymore random people got turned. 

Stiles and Scott warily watched the other man for a minute before Derek seemed to come to an inner conclusion to a silent war. He nodded slowly, “I am a Beta Werewolf.”

“Beta?” Stiles asked, ignoring Scott’s startled curse. 

“Yes.” Derek nodded again, this time gesturing to Scott, “He got bit by an Alpha. Only Alphas can turn humans into Werewolves by biting. They are more animal, and stronger than Betas.” He then looked puzzled as he regarded Stiles, “You… are _different._ ”

“Oh, gee, make a guy feel better that his whole life is shot to hell.” Stiles muttered softly under his breath before he spastically waved his arms around, “So, what did I get bitten by? The fucking Tooth Fairy?”

Derek fought to hide his smirk at that comment. The kid was amusing. Annoying, but still amusing. “No, you smell like cat. I am still trying to figure out what type.” Derek shrugged. As an afterthought, he tossed Scott his inhaler before saying, “I doubt you will need that in the future.”

Scott blinked at the inhaler now in his hand before he said, “How… why did that Alpha bite me? And do you know who it was? And who bit Stiles?” He rubbed a hand through his hair. “Shit, how am I supposed to believe all this?”

Stiles suddenly muttered, “Figured I would have to be bitten by some sort of Werecat. Meow.”

Derek ignored Stiles and answered Scott’s question, “No, I don’t know who it was that bit the both of you. Only you two have the ability to find that out right now. As for being bit by a Werewolf, you should be thankful. It’s a rare gift to be offered by any Alpha to any human.” 

The older Werewolf stiffened as Scott gritted his teeth and bit out, “What if I just wanted a normal life for once? I didn’t ask for this!”

“Scott, stop being an idiot.” Stiles rolled his eyes and playfully jabbed his best friend in the shoulder. “What’s done is done. It’s not the end of the world. Seriously. Plus it’s not Derek’s fault. It’s not like he bit you or me, even though he’d have to be some sort of cat in order to have bitten me, but that’s besides the point.”

Stiles never felt like putting his foot in his mouth that much until now. Too late he realized his slip up. _Uh oh_. Derek had advanced to stand not two feet in front of him, eyes suddenly blazing electric blue and narrowed. “How do you know my name? We’ve never met before.”

His wolf came to the surface, but Derek held it back barely, knowing it wouldn’t serve anyone good if he lost control and scared the two boys. Damn, he was better than this! He was a born Werewolf, not a turned one, and he’d been in control of his inner wolf for longer than these two had been alive. Still, he couldn’t help feeling threatened by the thought that the Stiles boy had info on him. Information he wasn’t sure he was willing to have anyone knowing just yet.

“Woa, blue eyes **glowing.** Um, that shouldn’t be so cool looking, but it is.” Stiles gulped as Derek fucking _GROWLED_ at him.

“Just answer the question, idiot.” Derek gritted out, fury making his glowing eyes seem way hotter to Stiles than they should. 

Still, Stiles did have SOME sense of self preservation and held up his hands in mock surrender, “Um, I know it because my dad is the Sheriff and I read the police reports of the fire. You look different than you did back then, but I still recognize you.”

“What fire? Stiles, what the hell are you talking about?” Scott asked, being mule-headed and slow on the uptake. 

His friend gestured to Derek, “This guy is Derek Hale. He’s only like six or seven years older than us, and he used to live here until a fire burned his house down about six years ago.” He then took note that Derek’s eyes were still flashing a hot, but dangerous blue and he shrugged, “I can’t help it! Stilinski’s are known for their curiosity. Maybe that’s why a Werecat decided to snack on me instead of a Werewolf?”

Derek seemed to get a bit annoyed, but then he sighed, letting go of the wolf inside. As Stiles had mentioned before, what was done was done. There was no going back now. Eyes flickering back to hazel, the Werewolf crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. “Stiles Stilinski.” He murmured, as if testing his name out with his mouth. Derek looked over at Scott, and muttered, “And you must be Scott McCall.”

When both teens looked suspicious and a bit creeped out that Derek knew Scott’s full name, the older Werewolf said softly, “Lacrosse practice?”

Both teens looked at one another sheepishly before Scott asked, “Hey, so you watched us play?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Of course he did. I spotted him standing on the other side of the field, using the eyebrows look of doom at us.” He then looked puzzled. “Why were you there in the first place?”

Derek grunted, which Stiles assumed that was a Werewolf gesture of the word ‘meh’, before he said, “I was keeping an eye out for you two. I know there were two bitten last night. I could smell the blood, but I wasn’t sure who it was. Now I know.”

“Oh.” Stiles and Scott both said in unison.

They were all silent for a few minutes before Derek said to Stiles, “You seem to be taking this whole thing rather well.”

“I am not sure if that’s a compliment?” Stiles said hesitantly, before he shrugged, “I am just adapting. Believe me, once I get home I will probably freak out about all this.”

“You already are freaking out, you just aren’t showing it.” Scott chimed in before he blushed and muttered, “Or at least I am.”

Stile chewed on his lower lip but didn’t bother to comment. Derek narrowed his eyes on both of them, which caused Stiles to feel a tightening in his gut, before the older Werewolf sighed deeply, as if coming to a decision.

Derek murmured, “Both of you, meet me at my house at six tomorrow night if you want to be trained. There is much I am going to need to teach you both before the full moon on Friday.” Crap, someone should totally duct tape his mouth shut from spewing off decisions before they were actually thought through. Derek grunted softly, covering his frustration at himself with a normal characteristic poker bitch face. 

Scott’s mouth dropped in astonishment before he laughed almost hysterically. “Can you believe this guy?”

Derek ignored the outburst and regarded Stiles before deadpanning, “Is he always this brain stunted?”

Instead of defending his friend like he should, Stiles had the grace to snicker and he shrugged, “I guess some peeps aren’t as open about supernatural shit like I am. But, don’t worry. I will see to it that he gets to training on time.” Then he narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Your house? Oh, you mean the Hale house. Kind of a strange place to meet, eh?”

“It’ll suffice for now.” Derek said before turning to leave.

He winced slightly as Stiles asked, “Um… you didn’t happen to see half of a body running around here lately?”

Derek took a deep breath of pain and loss before he was able to grit out, “She’s buried.” And with that, he walked off, leaving now not just one brain stunted teenager, but two.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Derek sighed deeply as he started his early morning ritual of working out. He was in his old burnt out shell of a house, trying to fathom why the hell he’d offered to train the two new Weres. Granted, the new Werewolf could lead him to the Alpha, who might or might not have killed his sister, Laura, but why had he included the Stilinski boy? Grunting softly, he hoisted himself up to do some pull ups on a sturdy wooden door frame in the broken down house as he mulled things over.

Feeling another spike of grief at the thought of his sister, torn in half, and buried near the side of the house, he tried to focus on something else besides guilt and agony. His thoughts unfortunately turned back to the loud mouthed kid, and again he wondered why he’d decided to spontaneously take up the mantel to teach Stiles alongside his Werewolf buddy.

Was it loneliness that had spawned him to include the Werecat? After Laura had left three weeks ago to come to Beacon Hills, Derek hadn’t really felt alone in her absence. It wasn’t until he’d found her body desecrated, mutilated, and so void of life that it all came crashing down upon him. The loneliness had hit him then. So, had that loneliness and guilt overrun his instincts to exclude the Werecat…or had there been another reason? He shouldn’t care less what happened to the odd talkative boy. Stiles was a Werecat for god’s sake! Werewolves and Werecats of any type did not get along by a long shot. True, their territories often mingled with one another, but both sets of animals usually avoided each other like the plague. 

Dropping down to do push-ups on the dusty, glass littered floor, Derek finally decided it must be something else. By the time he got done with his normal routine for working out, he had come no closer to understanding the reason behind offering to train both boys. Scott was solvable. He was a Werewolf and therefore needed help in order to not turn into the Alpha’s plaything. He probably wouldn’t have bothered if not for the fact that Laura’s torn up body had smelled like a strange Alpha, almost like a rabid Alpha. And if this particular Alpha was the same Alpha that bit Scott, then the poor kid needed all the guidance and help he could get. The benefit of the boy possibly leading Derek to the Alpha for confrontation was a plus. If the Alphas were one in the same person, then Derek would make sure that the Alpha paid with his or her life for what they had done to Laura. 

It wasn’t simple petty revenge. It was justice, as most Werewolves knew it. You hurt my pack, you pay.

Derek’s thoughts returned to Stiles. What even _is_ a Stiles? He knew for some odd reason that that wasn’t the kid’s real name. It was a fond nickname. And if that nickname was better than his real name, then Derek didn’t even want to know what the poor kid’s real name was. Flopping down on his back, taking care to do so on the least debris covered bit of wooden flooring, Derek mulled over the strange conversation between both Weres and himself that had happened the day before.

In truth, Derek was surprised and even a bit impressed that the Werecat hadn’t flipped out. The normal reaction with recently bitten Weres usually came across as one of two things. Scott’s reaction would be the first type: disbelief, scorn, and finally horrified realization. The second type would be if the human actually wanted the bite. And if that happened then the new Were would adjust accordingly with minimal conflict. At least, that’s what he’d heard from his Uncle Peter before the fire when the fun loving Werewolf used to teach the cubs about Werewolf lore and history. 

His chest tightened at the thought of his Uncle, of what he’d once been. Now, the man was a half burned husk of the Werewolf he used to be, being barely alive and catatonic. Derek rubbed his face tiredly and tried to think of a game plan. Laura had always been the one to plan things out, being the Alpha of their two person pack; it had been her responsibility. Now that she was gone, Derek had to fight through his grief to try to remember how she dealt with strategy. She always used to say that if any self-respecting Werewolf played their cards right, then the money would fall into their hands. 

Forcing the pain and guilt that riddled his already battered heart into the back of his mind, Derek tried to come up with a plan. Since he had offered to train both new Weres he needed to figure out how to actually do that without seeming like an impatient asshole. He ironically thought of Yoda and smirked slightly. Though Yoda was a good example on how to be a great teacher, Derek knew that he’d never be able to be as patient as the famed Jedi Master. Still, he could always try.

Standing up and stretching, feeling a bit better that he had an actual goal set up, he went for a jog around the perimeter of the Preserve. It took him most of the morning, but it had done wonders to clear his head, and make him feel actually useful. The guilt and pain of losing his sister was still there, but it wasn’t as prevalent as it had been. Derek still wasn’t sure how he was going to deal with having two new Weres to be responsible of, but he at least understood that if he did succeed in teaching the two newbies, then he’d at least know that he’d saved a few lives in the process. Having a makeshift pack in the makings also sounded practical, if not very pleasant. Werewolves were stronger in packs. 

He took a quick dip in the fresh running creek near the middle of the Preserve and headed back to the house, ideas spinning around in his head, still able to keep a wary eye out for hunters or any other dangerous creatures as he went. He caught a strange scent near the road and crouching down to examine the area; he finally noted that this was where Stiles had been attacked. Derek had been so anguished by finding and burying his sister that he hadn’t really paid attention to this area of his territory.

Now though, he lifted a few leaves and scented them, trying to discern what had happened to Stiles. What type of Werecat had bitten Stiles? Scowling in thought, he put the leaves down back on the forest ground before smelling the surrounding area for clues. Images flashed by in his thoughts of the Werecat’s attack, and suddenly his eyes widened as he finally scented a few drops of Stiles’ blood that had been spilled from the bite. It was like he’d been socked in the gut by a cannon ball. Shivering, he bit his lip as emotions swirled inside of him. He felt his fangs lengthen in response to the smell of Stile’s blood, eyes starting to flash and burn with fire. 

_Damn._

Rocking back onto his heels, Derek shuddered as he tried to hold the wolf in. Fuck. This would have to happen to him. He couldn’t ever catch a break. He laughed softly at the stupid thought. It wasn’t like he deserved to have a break from anything nature wanted to swing his way. He’d caused his whole family to die in that fire. And because he hadn’t taken extra precautions, now Laura was dead. His life was fucked.

It was best to just deal with the torment. It’s what he deserved.

Well, at least he understood now why he’d included Stiles in the training offer. It was kind of hard for a wolf not to want to help it’s mate. 

Standing up and trying hard not to give into the wolf’s instincts to go find his mate and protect him, Derek continued on his way back to the house. Taking deep calming breaths, he clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to clear his head from the scent of Stile’s blood. It had smelled wonderful, yes, but the inner wolf of his was not liking the thought that Stiles had been in pain, even if the boy was now completely healed. 

He forced himself to go back to where he’d found Laura’s upper half. Determined to try and find out if he might have missed a clue, Derek came upon the area and breathed in the scents around him. The decay of forest leaves and Laura’s blood was still prevalent. However, as he sniffed the outskirts of the area, where he knew Scott had been attacked, he growled. Maybe he hadn’t been as thorough as he’d thought in scenting the area the day before. The scent of the strange Alpha was still there, but now it was mingled with Scott’s scent from the day before. Stiles’ scent was there too, but not mingled with the strange Alpha like Scott’s was. There was a slight shift in the wind and Derek caught the scent of Scott’s blood from two nights before when he’d been attacked. The strange Alpha’s scent was so intermingled with Scott’s blood that it only could mean one thing.

The strange Alpha that bit Scott was almost certainly the same Alpha that had killed his sister. Knowing that he’d have to investigate further to get one hundred percent proof, Derek stood and sighed deeply. At least now he had a lead on his sister’s killer. Maybe training the two boys had been a good choice after all on his part.

Looking up at the sky, he figured he had at least six more hours until the two boys came by… if they actually turned up. Turning his thoughts back to his new found mate, Derek figured he now had some researching to do about Werecats. Despite just finding out that he actually had a mate, Derek was surprisingly calm about this whole thing. Maybe it was his inner wolf’s instinct to protect his mate. And the only way to protect his mate was to learn all he could about Werecats. He knew that there were some old books back in the cheap hotel he had rented for the past few days. The heirlooms were the only things he had left from his family. And now he would treasure them even more, since he was now the sole Hale fit enough to take on his family’s legacy. 

It seemed strange that he hadn’t recognized his mate’s scent when he first smelled him the day before, but that could be because Derek hadn’t thought he’d had a mate in the first place. Now that he thought back on that moment, he remembered the look on Stiles’ face as he sniffed the air to scent him. There had been a longing, pleased, but confused look on his face, and the boy’s scent had hit him like a ton of bricks. The scent of arousal coming from the boy had almost been enough for Derek to lose control. But, Derek had brushed it off as the boy just smelling good, and now he realized that the boy had smelled better than that. The scent of Stiles he could still taste in the back of his throat, causing him to rumble softly in arousal.

Trying to concentrate on the task at hand, Derek roughly pushed his wolf instincts to the back of his mind and headed back to the Hale house. Once there, he quickly got into his Camaro. With an aching feeling in his chest, Derek knew that he wouldn’t be able to take claim on the boy, nor did he have a right to. Images of Kate flashed in his head and he willed them away, knowing that he wasn’t going to be her, even if it killed him to not take his mate until his mate was ready, if he ever was. Sometimes fate was a bitch, but it’s not like Derek didn’t deserve all that he was getting. Again guilt and sorrow filled his thoughts and being until he roughly pushed those thoughts away too. Now wasn’t the time for grieving. Despite the spastic reasoning behind offering to teach the two new Weres, they were now dependent on him. And Derek felt he could deal with being needed for once in his life. It felt good to be needed, if not wanted.

He was going to have to focus on being a good teacher to those two, even if he had to go through literal torture being unattached to his mate. Fingering the firm steering wheel of his car comfortingly, Derek pulled the Camaro out from behind the burned house and headed towards the cheap hotel. Now that he knew that he had a mate to look out for, Derek realized it’d be best to possibly search for an apartment. 

It wasn’t because he wanted to have a possible wolf den to show off for his mate, he tried to tell himself. It was being practical. An apartment would be more stable than living in his old burned house that held too many buried memories. Plus, it’d be nice to find something to call his own for a change besides his Camaro. Lord knows he could afford buying the whole city of Beacon Hills due to the fact that his family had left both Laura and himself extremely wealthy, but Derek and Laura both had refrained from using hardly any of it. 

The only things that they seemed to spend on were necessities and food. That is, until Derek got old enough to go to College. Then it had been for tuition, books, classes, that sort of thing. And when Derek had received his degree in Computer Sciences just this past Spring, Laura had been so proud of him that she had bought the Camaro for him as a graduation present. He would have protested if not for the fact that for once in his life Derek had felt like he’d accomplished something for himself and if his sister wanted to buy him the car, who was he to complain? The only reason why she had bought the car in the first place was due to the fact that she had caught Derek eyeing a black Camaro, not unlike the one he has now, at the Auto shop when they had to take Laura’s car in for a regular checkup. 

Feeling pain flare up again into his chest, Derek pushed those thoughts away. The Camaro had been expensive and he’d treated it like it was his baby ever since Laura had given it to him. But, now that she was gone, it was one of the only things left that he had of her. And that made it priceless.

Drawing his thoughts back to reality, he pulled into the hotel’s parking area, wanting nothing more than to shower, eat some grub, and get to work on looking through those old books. He had brought them with him on the trip down from New York, only because he never liked the thought of leaving them anywhere for too long without supervision. And now he was glad he had brought them. Maybe they would give him some hint of info on the type of Werecat that had bitten Stiles. Plus, there was an old book on Werewolf defense, which would be good to look over and take notes on before the training tonight.

He’d already read the books practically frontwards and backwards, all except for one book. It had been a sort of Bestiary, but it had been encoded in Latin. Only his sister had been able to read it. But, that’s why he had his laptop to download things onto and fortunately for him, he was efficient in using deciphering systems on the internet. It had been sort of a random hobby of his when he’d been in college. He’d never thought that it would come in handy this soon after graduating.

Shutting the engine off, Derek got out of his car, clicked it locked, and went into the hotel room, wrinkling his nose at the stale scent of previous humans and bad cleaning supplies. Yep. He was so going to have to find an apartment. And soon.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

“I don’t trust him.” Scott said again for the fifteen-hundredth time that day.

They were currently leaving the school parking lot, it being a rare day without Lacrosse practice. They would have left earlier if it had not been for the fact that both Stiles and Scott got detention from Harris due to talking too much in the classroom. Fuck, their second day of school and Harris was already handing out the pink slips. The detention had been boring and had sucked majorly, but they had dealt with it. Now it was five thirty and they were going to have to boogie it to make it on time for training.

It was also an odd day that Scott didn’t have to work at the clinic, and Stiles didn’t have to work at the Papa Mama’s pizzeria for a change. Stiles felt that it was really ironic that Derek had asked them both to come by on a day where there were not going to be any conflicts. Oh, Stiles knew for a fact that Derek probably had no friggin’ clue that both Scott and himself had a rare free evening, but it still was ironic. Maybe it was just a random coincidence, and maybe he was just putting too much thought into this whole thing.

The night before after Stiles had dropped Scott off at the clinic, the Werecat had gone home to research. He also had had a random off day from work Monday, so he’d had plenty of time to Google practically everything under the sun and the moon and the stars about Werewolves, Werecats, shape-shifters, and everything paranormal. Everything he’d managed to pull up was either way out of this world, or way too creepy to even think about. Seriously, some people were creepily into bestiality, of which Stiles really did not ever want to glimpse at ever again. The porn wasn’t just bad porn, it was disturbing on a whole new level of disturbing.

Stiles had managed to go through most of the evening reading through old myths and legends on a few sites that actually weren’t as weird as most of the sites on Google and came to the conclusion that being a Werecat sucked. For one thing, there was way more info on Werewolves than on Werecats when it came to myths. Most of the Werecat stuff he had managed to glimpse at had origins in Egypt. They were supposedly descendants of either the Goddess Bast, or Bastet, which was depicted as a fierce lioness goddess at one time but then started looking more like an average black cat goddess, or the Goddess Sekhmet, which was also a fierce lioness goddess. So, on the full moon, was he going to turn into some lion type Werecat? 

The boy had then also looked at other cultures, and of course there were several other different kinds of myths on what a Werecat looked like. Some even had similarities to Saber Tooth cats and Siberian Tigers. He had pretty much fallen asleep, face plastered on his keyboard after about two hours of researching and had startled awake with a flailing squawk when he’d heard his phone ringing. Scott had been on the other line saying that Allison had come by the clinic due to accidentally hitting a stray dog, and one thing led to another and now both were going on a date Friday night at Jackson’s party.

Seriously? _Jackson_ , as in **asshole** _Jackson?_ How did that even happen? Jackson hated Scott and Stiles. It was like a mutual “hate the nerdy asthmatic and the flailing buffoon” hatred of them both. And on Friday of all times? Friday was the friggin’ _full moon._ From what Stiles had read on the Werewolf and Werecat myths was that the full moon DID cause both species to shift into their baser, animal selves, and it DID cause them to want to hurt things. _Badly._ As in ripping anything breathing to shreds and treating all the corpses like buffet cuisines. And Stiles really didn’t want to think about the whole blood thing either.

So, it begged to reason that Stiles just knew that Derek wasn’t going to be happy if he found out about the party, if either one of them told him about it in the first place.

Fuck, the dude probably would find out anyways even if the boys never told him about it. 

Stiles rubbed his face and tried to keep from flailing all over the place and to actually drive instead of crashing his jeep. Granted, his jeep was a piece of shit, but at least it got him places. And it’s not like he was loaded with cash like Jackson’s family was, so the jeep was pretty precious to him since it was either drive the leaky, beat up thing or walk. Scott mumbled, “Shit I don’t trust him. I don’t think this is a good idea, Stiles.”

“Will you fucking quit it, asshat?” Stiles rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. At Scott’s wounded puppy look beside him, Stiles chewed on his bottom lip and finally gave up on being irritable. Scott’s puppy look always got him, even when Stiles had a right to be pissed at his buddy. He just never could stay mad at him. “Look, I don’t trust him either. I mean, he just shows up out of the blue, and offers to help us out.”

He then sighed again, “But, Scott, it’s not like we have a choice not to at least LISTEN to what he has to say tonight. I mean, trust me, dude. I researched for a long time last night and everything I read about this whole Werewolf-cat deal is not cool. The whole extra senses are pretty awesome, but there is always a price to pay for it.”

Scott nodded, though he had this confused look on his face, which made Stiles want to smack him upside the head at least to get his buddy to not look so much the idiot. Instead, Stiles explained, “Ok, so, let’s say that some of the myths and legends are right about being turned into a Werewolf or Werecat. That means that on the full moon, both of us, and I mean BOTH of us, are going to lose complete control of ourselves, turning into really freaky strange beasts. But, that’s not the best – horrible part of it. The full moon just so happens to be the time when both of our bloodlusts are at their highest. Meaning we will maim and we will kill.”

Scott looked a bit queasy as he digested Stiles’ words, but then he rubbed his face and muttered, “How do we even know that this is all going to happen, Stiles? I mean, seriously, what if we weren’t bitten by any Werewolf or Werecat? What if this is just some sick joke made up by Derek to scare us?”

Ok, now Scott was being utterly mule-headed. Stiles pointed out, “Are you kidding me? Scott, look, I know you don’t like Derek. But, there’s the whole thing that I, for one, do NOT want to be the person who takes a chance and ignores this and ends up getting his friends or his family killed. I would rather play it safe and go ahead and at least listen to Derek for now. Ok?”

Scott nodded sullenly before he mumbled, “If he tries to tell me I can’t go to that party with Allison this Friday, I am going to punch his stupid face.”

Stiles had to snicker at that one. Just the image of Scott trying to manhandle the older Werewolf was pretty fucking hilarious. Scott would have his ass handed to him in a heartbeat. He wasn’t sure why he knew that, he just did. “Well maybe he can help us learn to control ourselves before Friday, hm?” Not that Stiles _believed_ that they’d be trained completely by that time, but he wasn’t going to be the one to burst Scott’s bubble.

“Maybe. I hope so.” Scott got his puppy expression on his face again before he grinned, “Dude, I can’t believe Allison said yes to the party. I mean, she’s so gorgeous, and smells so good, and I just… can’t believe it.”

Stiles arched an amused eyebrow at his buddy before he just sighed and continued to drive. Sometimes Scott was such a puppy. But, then again, maybe that’s why the Werewolf Alpha chose Scott to bite the other day. Something was nagging in the back of his mind though. Stiles knew there was something important he was missing about the whole attacks on both him and Scott, but for the life of him he couldn’t put his finger on it. He mulled on it for a while until they turned off of the main road and onto a strip of gravel road that had seen better days. Thank god they were in his jeep. Scott’s mom’s car would have busted a few things going over some of the tall weeds spattered all over the place.

Finally pulling up in front of the burned Hale house next to a sleek black Camaro that oozed sexiness, Stiles turned to look at his still blissed out friend. “You ready for this?”

“Yea. I guess.” Scott nodded.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Derek surveyed both boys through a fractured window from an upstairs room in the broken down house. It was one of the more stable rooms on the second floor, and he probably was going to use it in the future as a good vantage point to observe the goings on outside the house from higher up. This also had been his old room, or what was left of it. Nothing much had changed in the room since Laura and Derek had looted the area six years before, searching for anything that might be salvageable after the fire. There hadn’t been much that they’d found, but from the looks of things, and the smell of things, Laura had created a temporary hideout in this room. It made sense then why when Derek had checked earlier at the surrounding hotels and motels that he hadn’t found Laura’s scent in any one of those places. She must have figured it’d be best to stay at the Hale house for now. She had gone mostly on foot, or took the bus, since the local rent-a-car places didn’t have anyone registered under her name. Derek found that was a bit odd that Laura would not at least have a car to drive around town in. Maybe she had figured to leave less traceable evidence of being at Beacon Hills? But, if that was the case, then that would mean she knew that she might be followed.

But, by hunters? Or the other Alpha? It all confused Derek.

And why did Laura want to use his room for a temporary den? Why not her own room? Laura’s room had been located just across the hall from his own, and was just about as sturdy as this one. The only reason Derek could think of was the fact that this room faced the road and the driveway, whereas Laura’s faced the woods. 

After downloading and deciphering most of the titles of the Bestiary, Derek had come no closer to finding out what sort of Werecat his mate had been bitten by. He knew there was a whole section on Werecats in the Bestiary, but unfortunately he hadn’t had the time to decipher any of it. Now that he knew that Stiles was his mate, he had wanted to go check up on him after searching the surrounding hotels, motels, and rent-a-car places for Laura’s scent. So, he had stopped by the school on the way back to the hotel. He hadn’t got out of his car, trying hard not to seem the creepy stalker type of guy, but he had been able to focus in on Stiles as he was conversing with Scott for the last hour of class. The boy really did talk too much. Strangely enough it didn’t bother him as it should have. Maybe his wolf found Stiles endearing or something like that. He had listened to them for that hour before he figured he’d best go, and at least his wolf was satisfied with knowing the boy was ok.

He had gone back to the hotel and searched for apartments in the local area this time online. He knew he was going to have to eventually call his landlady in New York to settle his lease, and therefore go for a quick trip up there to get all of his and Laura’s things to move down here. But that all would have to wait until he at least got Scott and Stiles trained to go through their first couple of full moons without tearing apart everything in the near vicinity that had a heartbeat. Even after he had left the hotel, he’d managed to arrive here at the Hale house thirty minutes early and since he hadn’t much else to do for now besides wait for the two to show up, he started actively searching for any clues behind Laura’s death. What had she been searching for here?

All he remembered from their last phone conversation six days before hand, was that Laura said she might have found something important, and for Derek to get his ass down there to help her out. He couldn’t help the throbbing pain of guilt ride his gut that he hadn’t just flown out here instead of driven all the way from New York to here. If he’d been quicker, he might have been able to help her not get killed.

Derek had pushed the thoughts away as he had continued to sniff and root around the house, finally making his way to his own room where Laura’s scent had been the strongest. There was a small nest of blankets and an old mattress shoved next to the wall, and a few print outs, but nothing much else to go on. Derek couldn’t have helped the urge to curl into his sister’s blankets, and bask in her familiar scent, but he knew that he had the two teens coming to be trained by him soon. So, the cuddling would have to wait for now.

Now, though, as he watched the two boys get out of Stiles’ banged up jeep, he wondered if this was going to work at all. True, both boys needed direction and teaching, but did Derek have the skill to be the teacher? Flickering his troubled hazel eyes from one teen to the other, settling on his mate, he sighed deeply, but silently. Now that he took a good look at Stiles, he knew without a doubt that he had to be the one to teach both boys. He really didn’t have much of a choice. Besides, his inner wolf would want to insure that Stiles and everyone around him was protected. No, it would demand it.

There was no point in stalling the inevitability. Derek turned and gazed longingly at his sister’s stuff before he went without a backward glance to go downstairs to meet the newbies. His sister would have to wait for a little while longer.

________________________________________________________________________________________

“Um, you sure he said to meet us here?” Scott asked softly, trying to scan the whole house to see if anyone was in it.

Stiles gave his friend an incredulous look before he said sarcastically, “No, I am not sure.” Then he spastically waved his arms. “Dude, you were fucking there with me. You heard him tell us to meet him here!”

Scott blushed slightly and shrugged, “Calm down. I was kind of freaking out yesterday. Seriously, it’s not every day someone drops the whole ‘you are a Werewolf’ thing on you.”

Stiles figured he was right, but that still didn’t excuse the fact that Scott was being absent minded. Like usual. Stiles rolled his eyes at his friend before he said, “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

Scott followed him nervously to the burnt porch of the Hale house, absently rubbing his arms. “Dude, this place gives me the creeps.”

“Yea, you and me both.” Stiles muttered before he folded his arms across his chest, turning to look at his buddy expectantly.

“What?” Scott asked, confused.

“Dude, you are a Werewolf, Derek is a Werewolf. I am a Werecat. So, that makes you bro to Derek whether you want to be or not, and it makes me probably left over sludge.” When Scott looked more puzzled, Stiles sighed, “Oh MY GOD! Scott, cats and dogs usually don’t get along. It’s one of the oldest stories in the book. So, obviously, you will, I don’t know, BOND better with him if you take the first initiative. Knock on the door, call him out, or whatever. Just do it.”

Scott rolled his eyes but did what he was told. He reached up and knocked on the rotted front door and both boys waited for a bit. It didn’t take long for Derek to open the door and come outside to join them. Stiles couldn’t help but almost drool at Derek’s presence. Seriously, how could any man look so hot in just a plain long sleeved grey shirt, black jeans, and combat boots? Stiles sniffed the air, not being able to help it and nearly melted into an orgasmic puddle of goo at the scent coming off of Derek. It oozed sex and a wildness that Stiles knew was all Derek. Yep, he was screwed.

Despite sensing that his mate was trying his best not to drool all over the place with arousal, Derek’s eyes narrowed at both boys. “That was ridiculous.” He deadpanned. 

When both Stiles and Scott started to protest, he shut them up by saying, “It took you both five minutes to get the courage to come up and knock on a stupid _door_.” He lifted his eyebrows when both looked a bit sheepish. He looked at both for a few minutes before he finally turned his attention to Stiles, who was trying very hard not to fidget with the hem of his red hoodie. 

“Stiles.” He said softly, causing the boy to look up at him nervously. “You need to have more confidence in yourself and your abilities. Just because you are not a Werewolf, does not mean that you are not still considered pack. What this means is that you and Scott are both equals. You should not sell yourself short just because you think – wrongly I might add – that Scott will be more able to bond with me than you. It doesn’t work that way.”

“Hey, lay off of him. He doesn’t know much about anything, and neither do I.” Scott defended Stiles, of which the Werecat was torn between being grateful that his friend was very loyal, and wanting to smack him upside the head for thinking that he was some sort of damsel in distress.

“And you.” Derek pointed his finger at Scott. “You need to get your head out of your ass.”

At Scott’s affronted look and Stiles’ snort, Derek elaborated, “That’s right. I know all about your little secret date for the not so secret party for this Friday, of which just so happens to be on the full moon. And it’s not just any full moon. This is both of your guys’ _first._ That means both of you will be not only more driven to kill, but also you both will be at your most vulnerable.”

Scott looked like he was about to protest but Derek didn’t give him the time to, gesturing both boys to follow him off the porch, saying in his wake, “You know, I am beginning to wonder if you both are serious about being trained.”

“Wait, were you stalking us today?” Scott asked, incredulously.

Stiles rolled his eyes for what seemed like the fiftieth time that day. “Scott, seriously?” He nearly rammed right into Derek as the older Werewolf just suddenly stopped walking. 

Stiles sniffed the air and maneuvered himself around Derek before he finally noted what he had smelled. “Dude, you have a dead body buried here?” Was that the same girl that had been cut in half? If so, why had Derek buried her here of all places?

Scott forgot his recent line of thought and came to stand next to Stiles, looking at the grave in wonder. “What’s going on?”

Derek sighed deeply and ran a hand over his face before he crouched down next to the grave and gently ran his fingers through some of the fresh dirt. “If you don’t want to be trained, then you shouldn’t be here.”

Stiles saw the tense, almost defeated look on the older boy’s face and something inside him melted. Practically _melted._ He was so going to regret this. “It’s not like we don’t want to be trained, Derek. We just don’t know what to expect at all. I mean, both of us haven’t really shifted before, and well, we –“

He was cut off by the Werewolf. “Want to be shown.” 

“Dude, I still think the flashy blue eyed thing yesterday sold me completely, but Scott here wanted more proof.” Stiles gestured to Scott.

Scott still was looking at the grave apprehensively but muttered, “Yea. Showing would be nice. And please tell us why you have a dead body buried here!”

Derek rolled his eyes and turned to look the other way, shielding his face from the others. He continued to sift his hands through some of the dirt. “She was my sister. She would have wanted to have been buried here.”

“Your sister?!” Scott gaped in horror. “This is a fresh grave, when did she die? How did she die?”

Leave it to Scott to be very insensitive at times like these. Stiles regarded Derek’s hunched form and sighed deeply. “Scott, shut up for once and let the man grieve. I bet he’ll tell us in a bit, so calm down.”

Derek, knowing that his mate couldn’t see his face, allowed himself to indulge in a small smile. He had to admit, Stiles was full of compassion. Still, it’d be better to get this over with so they could start training. He didn’t have the luxury to grieve. Not right now. He still had to find Laura’s killer, get these two Were’s trained, and search for apartments. Once things settled a bit, then he might be able to grieve properly. But, for right now, he couldn’t.

“It’s ok, Stiles.” Derek murmured softly, before he explained, “About three weeks ago, I think my sister came down here looking for clues into what happened the night of the fire. After six years, I thought she’d given up on this place, but I guess not. Almost a week ago she called me and told me that she had found something, and wanted me to come here to help her out. She wouldn’t say what she’d found over the phone, and I if I had known what I know now, I would have pushed harder to get answers. I would have jumped on a plane and been with her so I could help protect her. But, I figured it was nothing too serious, so I just drove down from New York, figuring it’d be a nice reprieve to drive. I got here two days ago, and by then I knew it was too late. I could smell her blood from the driveway here, but she had been drug out into the middle of the Preserve, cut in half, and left as bait to catch me.”

Derek suddenly growled lowly in his throat, trying to fight back the pain and the guilt. “I only was able to find half of her, the other half found by the police. I knew I couldn’t do much for her other half, but the half I did have, I buried here. I knew she would have wanted to be close to the house.”

He felt a firm, but gentle long fingered hand light on his shoulder. Derek knew that Stiles was just trying to comfort him, but even though he relished it, he still knew that he didn’t deserve it. Not yet. Maybe not ever. 

Scott seemed to wrap his head around what Derek had said before he finally asked, trying to be gentle, “Why would someone do that to her?”

Derek leaned into his mate’s touch a little, trying hard not to nuzzle that hand that was on his shoulder. It had been a very long time since he’d felt any sort of comfort from anyone. Even his sister hadn’t been as cuddly as she used to be. That probably had been partly his fault, being defensive and drowning in his own guilt. Forcing himself to answer Scott, Derek said, “Why do you think? At first I thought it might have been hunters, ones whose sole purpose in life is to hunt down Werewolves, since I caught the scent of some that had been here recently. But, then when I took a good look at her top half and sniffed her wounds, I realized that the hunters had dragged her two halves out into the Preserve to bait me to possibly go into a rage and attack them. Some hunters live by a code to not hurt a Werewolf unless the Were tries to kill or harm them. But, regardless of all that, the hunters did not kill my sister.”

“Do you know who did?” Stiles asked softly, ignoring Scott’s soft ‘there’s hunters?!’ exclamation, gently kneading his fingers into Derek’s shoulder. He knew the guy probably really didn’t want this attention, but Stiles couldn’t help but want to comfort him. God knew that he’d needed comfort during the time of his mother’s passing, and had been grateful that at least he’d had his dad. Derek didn’t have anyone though. And Stiles guessed that if they had to get trained by the older Werewolf, then it might be good to try and get to know him better, even if he still wasn’t sure if he liked the guy yet. Granted, Derek was insanely attractive, and his scent drove Stiles crazy with want and lust, but he knew next to nothing about him besides what the Werewolf was telling Scott and him now.

“I have my suspicions.” Derek turned slightly to look over his shoulder at Scott and narrowed his eyes.

Scott chewed on his lip awkwardly before he asked, “What?”

“I think the person who murdered my sister might be the Alpha that bit you.” Derek confessed bitterly.

Scott’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?!”

“Very.” Derek deadpanned.

“What are we going to do?! What if he or she comes looking for me? What if – OH MY GOD, I can’t believe this shit.” Scott protested, getting all defensive and panicked.

Stiles rolled his eyes, and removed his hand from Derek’s shoulder. If Scott got his ass handed to him by Derek right now, Stiles would so not be surprised. Sometimes Scott was denser than a brick wall. He walked over to his friend and muttered, “Real smooth Scott.”

“What do you mean?” Scott asked, arching a brow.

“He’s obviously telling the truth.” Stiles gritted out. “I don’t know how I can tell, but I can.”

“Still!” Scott protested.

Derek rolled his eyes, wondering again why he’d decided to teach these two. “Fine. You want proof, then you will get it.” Derek stood and rubbed his hands together to get the dirt off of them. He turned to look at them, and said, “If I show you, then there is no going back. You won’t be able to just walk away from this. That means you are going to have to start taking this more seriously.” He pointedly looked at Scott when he said this, knowing that it wasn’t Stiles that was having issues believing in Weres. It was Scott.

Scott shifted under his knowing gaze and muttered, “Fine. But, you have to like, not hold back or anything. If we are going to be taught, we need to know everything you know.”

For once Stiles agreed whole heartedly with Scott, but he did add for safe measure, “And, if we are going to be part of a pack, we need to know how to reach you.” Yep, and Stiles was totally trying not to think of other certain personal reasons as to why he wanted Derek’s phone number. If Derek even had a cell phone. Or a phone in general.

“Fair enough.” Derek conceded.

“Pack?” Scott was confused, “Derek, you said that word before. What does it mean?” Stiles gritted his teeth. Sometimes he wished his buddy had more common sense. 

“Yes, pack. As in wolf pack. Werewolves travel in packs, right?” Stiles broke in, looking at Derek for confirmation.

The man nodded curtly before elaborating, “Werewolves have packs, or groups that they band together with. Packs are stronger in numbers. Sometimes they are made up of families, other times it is made up of just friends or close acquaintances. Since I am going to be teaching you both how to survive, and how to defend yourselves against hunters and possibly other Weres, we are connected. Call it a teacher, student relationship or whatever you want to call it. I don’t care. Most times Werewolf packs are made up of one Alpha, or if there are two, Alpha Mates, and three or more Betas. But, in some cases, like ours, we are just Betas. Since I am teaching you, I am going to be pack leader, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything I say. It just means that you have to defer to me for loyalty and good judgment. I have been a Werewolf for longer than either of you two have been born, since I was born a Werewolf, therefore I have experience and the skill to protect. So, even if you don’t have to obey my word, you will have to listen, and you will have to understand. Is that clear?”

“Crystal Clear.” Scott said, still looking a bit wary of Derek. “But, one thing bothers me though. If we are, as you say, Weres, then why do you want to teach US? What’s in it for you?”

 _That actually is a good question,_ Stiles mentally commended his friend. He had been wondering the same thing.

Derek mulled over what he should tell them, and finally decided to tell them the truth, leaving out only a few things. “As I said before, Werewolves are stronger in packs. Besides, I don’t think it’d be wise to have two new Weres that have no clue what they are doing manage to get people maimed or killed. However, if the Alpha that bit Scott is the Alpha that killed my sister, I am going to need all the help I can get to kill him or her.”

“Kill him or her? Like some personal vendetta? Are you fucking insane?!” Scott stared at Derek incredulously. “And why can’t you just find them and kill them? Why do you need our help?”

Stiles sighed deeply and assumed, “Scott, don’t be a dumbass. Derek just told you that Weres are stronger in packs. And from what he said yesterday, Alpha’s are stronger than Betas, so it stands to reason that he needs our help to kill the Alpha. Besides, if the Alpha is trying to make a pack of Werewolf Betas, then maybe it would be a good idea to kill it before it bites anyone else. Right?”

Derek nodded, taken aback by how astute the teenager was. He had to admit, his mate was smart. Of course Stiles was leaving out the whole ‘vendetta’ that Scott had mentioned, but he wasn’t going to push on that one. He was beginning to understand that Stiles knew what he was doing when talking to the other teenager. So, he let him have the ball, and rolled with it.

Scott sighed and rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

“Super Green. Now that that has been settled, shift please.” Stiles piped up at the same time. Not knowing why, but Stiles was starting to get a bit excited about this whole training thing. And plus, he’d get to see Derek all wolfed out pretty soon! (If Scott stopped being a dumbass btw) It was totally academic of course! And Stiles could totally lie to himself, but he didn’t care.

Derek rolled his eyes briefly for what seemed to be the thousandth time at the actions of both boys before he carefully looked around. Noting that they were indeed alone for the most part except for a few birds in the trees surrounding the old broken down Hale house, he decided that if he had to shift to show the two boneheads – no just one, Stiles believed he was one already – that he was indeed a Werewolf, and that no, he was not making this up, so now would be the time to do it. Feeling a bit apprehensive as well as a bit annoyed at having to do this, Derek ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply.

Stiles was about to say something, but he stopped himself as Derek shifted. It was a slightly slower process than Stiles would have thought it’d be, but maybe Derek was doing it at that pace to make it more gruesome. Or maybe to show both Scott and Stiles that he wasn’t doing any stupid magic tricks. This was totally for Scott’s benefit then, since Stiles had already told Derek truthfully that he already got the proof yesterday with the flashing hot blue eyes. This time though, once Derek was done shifting, and was now regarding both of them with those same hot blue eyes, Stiles felt fascinated.

Not just fascinated, but also a bit aroused. _Damn._ How could Derek be so hot even as a shifted Werewolf? It seemed a bit unfair, unless both Scott and himself would turn into hunks after they shifted too? Suddenly, bestiality – though it still wasn’t his thing, he could totally see the appeal. And Derek wasn’t like a full wolf shifter, so he did look like a human hybrid of some sort, so even if he was aroused by this new Derek look, it wasn’t bestiality at all, for the most part! Shaking his thoughts from that strange path, Stiles took in Derek’s features. Derek’s face seemed more blunt, with a raised nasal area and forehead, his ears had grown into elf like appendages, there was some furry scruff on his cheeks, and his fangs. Oh his _fangs_.

Yep, Stiles was learning that fangs were now on a list of kinkiness he was mentally filing into the back of his perverted mind. Dude, Derek had like fangs on both sets of canines, and somehow that made Stiles more aroused and intrigued than those old scary vampire movies he used to watch. Even Lon Chaney Jr. had nothing on this guy. Biting his lip, he forced his eyes to move to Derek’s hands, of which he somehow knew were going to be clawed. 

He was correct in his assumption, and before he could stop himself, Stiles was walking up to Derek and reaching out to grab his hand. Turning the hand over, Stiles examined the claws, murmuring finally, “This is so friggin’ cool!” Yep, totally not into bestiality. Nope. Not one bit.

He absently turned his attention to Scott and laughed, “Scott, you should see these. These totally beat Batman by a longshot.”

Stiles caught Scott’s horrified, if not strangely amused look and rolled his eyes. “Scott, I am fucking serious! This is awesome.”

“I am glad you think so.” Derek growled out with an annoyed huff, but made no move to withdraw his hand from Stiles’ grasp. He tried to ignore the feeling of how much his wolf was loving the attention, but failed slightly when Stiles suddenly dropped his hand as if it’d burned him.

Stiles blinked a few times and blushed scarlet in embarrassment, backing up a bit and apologizing, “Sorry dude, I totally blame Adderall.” He then smiled a bit hesitantly, “But, with all due respect, your Royal Sourwolfness, you look fucking spectacular as a Werewolf.”

 _Really? **Sourwolf?**_ Derek hoped that wasn’t going to be an often occurring nickname. He had every reason in the world to be sour. But, still, it was degrading to have a nickname like that. Fair enough that Derek had heard way worse nicknames, but REALLY? Derek rolled his neck and shifted back into his human form and sighed, not really sure how to answer that backhanded compliment. Finally he rubbed his left shoulder and said sarcastically, “Thanks for your approval.”

Stiles rolled his eyes but inwardly beamed. Derek wasn’t bashing him into the ground for totally going fanboy on him, and was actually being well, normal Dereky, so he’d take that as a good sign. The previous tenseness and heaviness of talking about Laura was gone. Scott however, ruined it by saying, “Damnit! How am I going to be able to go out with Allison to that party? I have no idea if I am going to hurt someone on the full moon.”

“Maybe it’d be a good idea if you reschedule? Yes, you will hurt someone if you go out on the full moon.” Derek nodded seriously, folding his arms over his chest.

“Dude, you just got proof that we are actually NOT human anymore and you are spazzing out about ALLISON?” Stiles face palmed.

“Well I can’t help it!” Then Scott narrowed his eyes at Derek, trying hard not to panic, and failing miserably. “Can I kill someone?”

“Yes.” Duh. Hadn’t he just told Scott that he was training them both so they wouldn’t kill anyone? Derek really was thinking Scott had an issue with using his head for common sense… or any sense for that matter.

“Will I kill someone?” Scott asked desperately, totally freaking out

“Probably.”Derek deadpanned.

“Fuck.” Scott put his hands over his face and took a few deep breaths. “Dude, what am I going to do? I can’t just reschedule. I mean I can’t believe a girl like her would give me a second chance.”

Derek forced himself not to roll his eyes and fought for patience. Stiles saw that look and tried to reign in his melodramatic friend. He went over and wrapped an arm around Scott’s shoulders, saying, “Stop freaking out, buddy. We still have some time. And even if you can’t go to that party on Friday night, I doubt Allison would just blow you off for someone else. She digs you.”

“She does?” Scott sounded hopeful, and so obviously overkill cuteness that Stiles really wanted to hurl in the next bush, and from sending a glance over at Derek, the guy felt the same way. Still, Scott was his best friend, so he’d might as well get him to calm down.

“Yes. Otherwise she would have said no to that party, right? So just call her and tell her that something came up and that you will be able to go out on a date on Sunday or sometime like that, since you have an off day at the clinic.” Stiles patted his friend on the back before turning his attention completely to Derek. 

Derek saw the boy’s nervous stance and arched a brow, curious to see what his mate was going to say next. He didn’t have to wait long for Stiles to finally meet his gaze headlong and say, “Ok, I am in. Teach away, Yoda.”

Scott was still mooning about not being able to go out with Allison on the full moon, but he nodded and said, “Yea, me too.”


	2. Chapter Two: Training Gone Wrong, Being Lost, and Being Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek then had suggested them to strip down to their jeans and shoes, pointing out that shifters often burned hotter body heat while running than most humans. 
> 
> “Um, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather keep on my shirt.” Stiles gulped when Derek had unselfconsciously pulled off his long sleeved shirt and casted it half-hazardly to the ground, not caring where it landed. Dude, the guy was ripped. Stiles felt arousal hit him headlong as he basically ogled Derek’s toned abs, perfect pecks, and whoa, on his back there was a really neat looking tattoo! He flushed when Derek caught his gaze and smirked. He fucking _smirked._ **Ass.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as an FYI, mpreg might, or might not happen in this story. I am going to change the tags for warnings to add it on there just to be safe. I am not sure if it will happen in the story yet, since I haven't gotten that far in the story for that, however in this chapter there is a bit of talk about it, due to Stiles' Werecat heritage. It will be explained much more in detail in the next chapter. Sorry you guys have to wait on that. 
> 
> Also, trigger warning: Attempted Rape. There is an attempted rape of Stiles, and I can tell you for sure that this is the only one in the story. So, if you have any problems or triggers with reading things like that, you might want to bail on that part of the chapter. It's not graphic, but I wanted to put this on here just in case. 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy the next chap. You find out the type of Werecat that bit Stiles. Also, entrance of the Cyger Alpha.

[](http://s897.photobucket.com/user/AzrielGROF/media/Underneath_zps1aa052ae.jpg.html)

**Chapter Two: Training Gone Wrong, Being Lost, and Being Found**

One word for Stiles that described ‘training’ was ‘torture’. Possibly another good word would be ‘badass’. Because, even if Derek was a total slave-driver, he never gave up on Scott and Stiles, and he was pretty patient with them both. Though, sometimes that patience wore thin and the older Werewolf had to take deep breaths for a few minutes to calm down his frustration. 

Still, Stiles was thrilled, and amazed that Derek hadn’t kicked them out yet. It had only been two and a half hours of training so far, and Stiles was beginning to feel like it’d been _YEARS._ What Derek had decided to start both teens on for today was control. Every Were needed to learn how to control themselves and their shifting. Even though Scott and Stiles still had no idea how to shift into their Beta forms, Derek had told them that they both would have to learn at least a bit of control over their emotions before they even tried to be taught how to shift. And Stiles really, _really_ wanted to be shown how to shift.

Scott also seemed to find training fun, even if it pushed both of them to their physical limits. The first hour of training had gone smoothly, or as smoothly as one could hope in this sort of situation. Derek had tackled both teens to the ground, wrestling with them individually until they yielded. During that time the teens had felt like they were so out of their league with this sort of training. Derek had managed to slam both teens into the ground every single time he went after them. Despite getting a bit frustrated and annoyed at the boys’ inept ways of defense and offense, Derek had still held onto his patience, knowing that the teens were very new at this. It still didn’t keep him from bitching at them about their faults however. Derek couldn’t really help doing that, it was the way he was.

Surprisingly the teens never shifted during the first hour of training. Derek had to admit that he was impressed that the two could hold onto their anger for so long, even with him badgering every chance he got. Most new Weres’ couldn’t control themselves once angry. But, Derek figured that the next hour and a half would truly test the teens, moreso than getting their asses handed to them during this first part of training. So, after the full hour was up, he had helped both dirty boys up off the dirt and had given the teens a bit of encouragement, though it felt weird coming out of his mouth. Scott and Stiles seemed to beam under the encouragement, so he figured he’d have to get used to this whole ‘teacher’ thing. Students needed criticism yes, but they also needed to feel like they were getting ‘somewhere’, otherwise training did nothing but make them give up.

The next hour and a half Derek had the teens do runs through the Preserve, nearly exhausting both boys in the process, since neither one had much stamina when it came to athletics. True, Lacrosse was brutal, but even the Coach never ran them this hard, or this far. Derek wanted them to run for at least that long nonstop, as fast as they could. 

“I want you to feel like your lungs are going to burst out of your chest, and you to feel like your legs are going to fall off. This will be a good exercise for you both, getting both of you up to the normal stamina of any regular Were who is aware of the dangers out there. Not only is it a good survival skill, but it will also push you to a desperation that may or may not make you lose control. Sometimes Weres have what’s called triggers. Triggers are emotions that we cannot always control, and sometimes these emotions force the shift even when we don’t want them to. It is my job to find out both of your triggers, and in turn, train you both on how to balance those triggers to become strengths in your favor.” Derek had told them at the Hale house before the run. “You both have done actually pretty well keeping your anger from controlling you during this past hour of training. However, this next part will truly test your abilities to keep in control.”

Scott had looked a bit confused, and had asked, “Does that make triggers our weaknesses? If we sort of can’t control them?”

Derek had nodded, “In a way they can be noted as weaknesses. But, they can also be strengths, if you work at it. This is why I am going to push you guys until you both wish you were dead, once we find your triggers.”

“Wonderful.” Stiles had quipped cheekily before he bent to retie his shoelaces, not wanting to trip over them if they were going to go running in the woods. He’d always had a hard time with balance, and even if he was now some sort of Werecat, he wasn’t sure if the whole better balance thing would apply to him. Stiles knew he was a total klutz. Better to be safe than sorry.

Scott had rolled his eyes and chuckled at that. Both boys were a bit sore from the hour of training before, but they figured that if they were going to be trained to control their shifting, then they’d best give it their all. And if that meant racing through the Preserve like maniacs, then so be it. Stiles knew he was going to be so sore tomorrow. 

Derek then had suggested them to strip down to their jeans and shoes, pointing out that shifters often burned hotter body heat while running than most humans.

“Um, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather keep on my shirt.” Stiles gulped when Derek had unselfconsciously pulled off his long sleeved shirt and casted it half-hazardly to the ground, not caring where it landed. Dude, the guy was _ripped._ Stiles felt arousal hit him headlong as he basically ogled Derek’s toned abs, perfect pecks, and whoa, on his back there was a really neat looking tattoo! He flushed when Derek caught his gaze and smirked. He fucking _smirked._ **Ass.**

Derek then had shrugged, “Fine, do what you want.” He then turned to look at Scott, who had had no problems stripping his shirt off and placing it over next to Derek’s. The older Werewolf had looked over both for a long moment before he said, “Now, when I tell you to run, I want you to run as fast as you can for as long as you can. But, try to use all of your senses while running. First, intake your sense of smell, taste the air on your tongue, listen to the forest around you. Don’t always trust your eyes, for they can often betray you. Once you have run as fast as you can for as long as you can, I want you to look for a place to hide.”

“Why do you want us to find a place to hide? Do you think the Werecat and Alpha Werewolf are still out there?” Scott had asked, scrunching up his face to look like a puzzled puppy.

“I checked the Preserve earlier this morning and found only two day old traces, but that doesn’t mean that they might not still be out there in hiding. Be careful. However, that isn’t the sole reason why I want you both to hide. The main reason is so I can hunt you both. I want you to try and hide from me the best you can. Remember, I can sense your scent easily now. But, even though I have the advantage of being born a Were, you have the advantage of being prey. Prey can often outsmart a hunter if they think logically and use adrenaline as their main defense. Surprise me.” Derek had answered, baring his teeth slightly and Stiles could have sworn that they had sharpened.

Stiles hadn’t known what to feel. For one, he had been absolutely freaked out that Derek was going to hunt them, CHASE them, like they were some friggin’ deer, but on the other hand, there was sort of a thrill to being the one to be chased. Yep, Stiles was finding out that there were so many weird kinks of his that were both embarrassing and horrifying. But then an inner voice of his had murmured snidely, _Oh come on, who wouldn’t want to be chased by Derek? He is hot, smells incredible, and damn, those muscles…._

Now, though, he was totally wishing this part of the training was over. His lungs were about to burst from running as fast as he could, for even longer than he’d thought possible. He’d actually been able to run for the past hour and a half without stopping. But, he knew that his stamina was starting to crap out. This version of Hide and Seek was fun, but he’d really like to lie down somewhere and sleep for a hundred years. His muscles were aching, his heart was hammering against his chest, and if he didn’t find somewhere to rest soon, Stiles practically felt like he was going to pass out. He already was starting to get those sparkly things at the edge of his vision, probably due to the lack of oxygen. Fuck.

Suddenly he heard a soft ‘bam’ not far away to his left and somehow knew that Scott had been found and probably got creamed for his efforts. Cursing softly to himself, Stiles made a split second decision and circled his way around to go back the way he’d come, only making it a zigzag path, somehow sensing that it would help mask his scent trail. He lept over several fallen logs, trying hard not to rub himself up against any of the standing trees he had passed. 

Pure, primal instinct urged him on as he heard a faint duo of roars to his right. Somehow, he knew the roars to be coming from both Derek and Scott. Shit. Did that mean that Scott had lost his control? Worry permeated through Stiles’ brain until he roughly shoved the panicked thoughts away. He had to trust Derek to ensure that Scott wouldn’t hurt himself and to calm down. 

Stopping briefly as he heard an odd sound coming from in front of him, Stiles quickly hid behind a thick tree, breathing hard out of his mouth, but managing not to make too much noise while doing it. He forced himself to calm down, and whoa, Derek had been right. His senses were amplified even more now. Stiles could hear the sounds of water coming from his far left, where a small stream was making its way through the forest. The scent of dew plastered leaves was everywhere around him, and as he scented the air through his mouth, he could taste the cool tang of fall mist. He closed his eyes and focused on each sense for a moment, reveling in the knowledge that he could be part of – was part of nature. It felt amazing, and for one small moment Stiles felt like sobbing out the full pleasure of being alive. Once his senses focused on sound, he could hear the crickets and various types of insects going about their business on the surrounding trees and forest floor. So, in tune with nature that he was, that he instantly caught it when everything changed around him. The forest suddenly got incredibly quiet. The insects had fled, the birds had grown silent, and even the rustling leaves had stilled.

Fuck. A deep and troubling cold dread slowly but surely covered Stiles and seeped into his very bones until finally he could smell the creature. It smelled of rot, hunger, and a deep sour scent of hate and desperation. Not soon after he could hear the heartbeat of the same creature. It was sort of irregular, and Stiles could sense that something was wrong with the beat, though he didn’t know why he knew that. Opening his eyes, Stiles couldn’t see much of anything other than the forest, but some inner instinct told him that the creature was coming closer. He stayed very still, knowing for some reason that his life depended on it. The creature was definitely not Derek. Nor was it Scott.

_Shit._

Carefully, he bent low at his waist and covered himself with fallen dead leaves and other random foliage. His scent would be muffled by the earthy smells of decay. Stiles quickly pulled out his phone and turned it off, knowing that if it went off, even on vibrate, the creature, whatever it was, would pick it up, pinpoint where he was hiding, and then he’d be dead meat. Briefly he wondered if the creature was the same one who’d bitten him. But, if that was so, then why was he so friggin’ scared of it? Derek had said that Were Alphas, cat or wolf, took making new Betas seriously, and tried to bond with their newbies as soon as possible. Of course, Scott’s Alpha might be the same crazy lunatic who had killed Laura, but the Alpha still wouldn’t have killed Scott. Why go to all that trouble to make a new Werewolf and then kill him in two days? 

However, Derek had told Stiles that he still wasn’t sure what type of Werecat had bitten him. It made Stiles wonder if this creature was some rabid cat that had actually been bent on killing him the other night, but had been distracted or something. Or maybe something had scared it off? Stiles was so confused. He pulled his focus back on the problem at hand. If this creature that he had smelled and heard was indeed the same Werecat that had bitten him, then what was he going to do?

Knowing that terror has a smell as well, and that the creature could probably home in on his fast heartbeat, Stiles tried to calm down and mentally pleaded to Derek to come and find him before that creature did.

\-----------------------------------------------

Derek stiffened in his Beta form, momentarily distracted. That earned him a rough growling shove to the ground, but was able to defend himself easily by kicking the other Beta off of him. Scott snarled and snapped at him, trying to do everything in his power to slice the older Werewolf apart. Derek growled suddenly, sensing by instinct that Stiles was in trouble; that his mate was in danger. Finally figuring it was time to end this sparring match, Derek pulled Scott around and tossed him in the air. The boy smacked hard into a tree, causing the other Beta to let out a comical ‘oof’ before falling to the ground. “Enough.” Derek growled lowly, straitening and shifting back into human form. “We have to find Stiles. He’s in danger.”

At the words ‘Stiles’ and ‘danger’, Scott snapped his head up with a soft growl. The younger Beta tried to calm down, just like Derek had told him earlier before the run, and found himself shifting painfully back into a human. Derek gave him an approving nod before he held out his hand to Scott. Taking the offered hand and pulling himself up, Scott asked, “How do you know he is in danger?”

Derek looked around, smelling the air. With a soft tense clench of his fists at his sides, Derek uttered, “I can sense it. Can’t you? Something’s out there. Looking for Stiles.”

“Ok…?” Scott smelled the air, and tried focusing on all of his senses, and there. There it was! “What the fuck is that?” It was a foul odor, one that was pungent with rot, ruthless rage, and hunger.

“I have no idea. It smells almost like cat. But, not quite.” Derek admitted before his eyes narrowed. “It’s the same scent I caught near where Stiles had been attacked the other night. It’s the same creature who bit Stiles.” Without another word, the older Werewolf bolted in the direction of his mate’s scent, Scott not far behind him.

\-----------------------------------------

Stiles waited with bated breath, noting that the moon was starting to get covered by possible rain clouds above the broken canopy of the tall trees towering over him, leaving him more in darkness. The terror inside of him was now muted, and with each minute that nothing happened, that no creature was finding him, Stiles was getting more and more relaxed. Of course, he wasn’t stupid by any means. There was no fucking way he was going to move from this spot until either Scott or Derek found him – or if the thing, whatever it was, found him. By then, he hoped that he could somehow distract the creature enough to make a run for it. 

Yea, that last part of the plan was pretty stupid, but Stiles didn’t have any more ideas left to him except to maybe climb the tree he was huddling against. Then again, if he could climb like a gangly monkey, then he figured the other Werecat could too. So, yea, he was so fucked unless Derek and Scott came by to help him get out of there alive. True, Stiles knew that he was now a Werecat, but he also knew that Alphas were more powerful than him. So it’d be best to wait.  
A few minutes later, the rain started. It was gentle at first, but then soon became a torrential downpour, drenching Stiles all the way to his bones. He shivered slightly, though not from the cold for once.

Despite keeping in tune with nature more than he had been before, it still surprised him when the Werecat made an appearance. Something deep in his being supplied the words ‘tiger’ and ‘Alpha’. Oh hell no. If Scott didn’t have to obey his own crazy Alpha (whoever it was), then he didn’t have to either. No one was the boss of him. Not like _this._ Stiles instinctively felt his hackles rise at the sight of the creature who had bitten him. Orange red covered the majority of the creature’s body, though there were random stripes everywhere, like any normal tiger. However, this tiger was much bigger than any normal zoo Siberian tiger, and the ears were more pointed like a wolf’s. The tail was long and bushy, like a wolf’s as well. Now that he took a good look at the Weretiger, he could tell that this creature was sick. For one thing, the creature had a mad glint to his blood red eyes, and there was frothy blood matted all over his face. Stiles scented the air again, confirming that the Were was a male, possibly not much older than himself, and was bleeding elsewhere, possibly internally. Had hunters done this to the Were?

He suddenly felt the urge to expose himself and go to the other cat to see if he could somehow help it out. Ruthlessly pushing that strong urge back into the deep recesses of his mind, Stiles stayed put, even though he couldn’t help the whimper escaping his lips.

The Weretiger snapped his head around with a snarl, catching sight of Stiles instantly. Like a deer caught in the headlights, Stiles felt sudden fear clouding his senses, causing him to try to make a run for it. He didn’t even make four steps before the crazed animal was upon him. He let out a choked cry as he landed on the sodden forest floor with a loud thump, the Were clawing into his back viciously.

“Don’t MOVE _Ryszard_ (ree-SHARD)” The Were growled in fury, eyes glowing red in anger and hunger.  
Stiles froze as the Were spoke his real name, and actually pronounced it right. The memory of the day before flashed through his mind as he realized that this was the same guy who had spoken his real name in school. But, how had this creature found out his real name, much less how to pronounce it? Fear threatened to cloud his senses even more, making him on the verge of a panic attack. And through all of that, he suddenly got a very, _very_ stupid idea. Still, if it helped him get away alive, he’d do it. He’d do anything at this point. Well… almost anything. He rolled over onto his back and bared his throat to the creature, showing false submission, trying not to gag at the stink of old blood and rot coming from the Were. It seemed he had instinctively made a right move, for the Weretiger growled appreciatively and leaned in to sniff Stile’s bared neck. “Much better, mate.”

Wait… wait… _MATE?!_ Stiles literally gaped in horror at the creature. What the fuck was going on? As the Weretiger took in Stile’s fear filled face, he huffed out a rough chuckle. “I have much to teach you, mate. Though I will have to breed you first.”

“I am not your mate!” Stiles blazed, suddenly the fear inside of him rolling into a rage like nothing he’d ever felt before. And then, he knew. As the rage took over, he knew what the Alpha was doing. What this Were had bitten him for. **“I AM NOT YOUR WHORE!”** He roared in rage, as he shifted into his animal form.

Claws ripped out of his fingertips, black and bloody, eyes turning gold with intense fury, ears forming into black tuffed wolf ears, orange, silver and black stripes spreading over his entire body. And the fangs that lengthened and formed out of his canines were sharp and deadly. Stiles didn’t even wait for the transformation to fully end before he was tackling the other Were, not caring if he even made it out of this alive. There was no fucking way he was going to get raped and turned into some sort of catamite for this unknown Were’s pleasure. 

_Cygerious Lupine._ A sudden thought filtered through in the back of his mind as the rage took over even more. Well, at least he knew what type of Werecat had bitten him. Still, the fact that this fucking creature had tried to claim him without his permission was pissing him off. Stiles grappled with the other cat, roaring into his face and bodily flinging him into a tree. The other Were seemed shocked, and maybe a bit dismayed at finding that Stiles actually had a mind of his own and wasn’t one for a random claiming.

But, after Stiles had managed to throw the cat into another tree, the Alpha got over his shock. The Cyger came at Stiles with a loud roar, bent on teaching his bitten intended a lesson in defiance. Defiance would not be allowed, no matter how much the Cyger longed for a first mate. The deep wounds inside of his belly made the Cyger even more desperate to punish his intended. He needed to end this now before he got even sicker from the poison that the new hunters had shot him with. 

He threw back his head and roared the Alpha roar, which should cower his mate into submission despite the rain muffling the sound. Or at least cower the newbie for at least a few minutes. 

Stiles felt a sudden twinge in his very bones to submit, to stop angering the Alpha. But, still, that thought of being _used_ infuriated a stronger part of him, one that was able to overcome the ‘call of the wild’. So, he fell on the unsuspecting Alpha and bit down on his back, digging his fangs and claws in deep. The Cyger howled with pain and rage, finally figuring enough was enough.

He whipped around and threw the Beta Cyger into a tree, roaring into his face, eyes mad with fury. “Stop it or I will maim and eat you.” He threatened with a deep throaty growl, pinning the boy to the tree, claws digging into each shoulder cruelly. “You know nothing of our world. For all you know, I could easily kill you, and just take another Beta to breed. I do not care, Ryszard. I am now an Alpha. I normally wouldn’t care to be alone for a while, but the Cyger inside of me wants none of that. It needs to breed, and you smelled the best, so you will have to be the first.”

“I am not and will never be your bitch.” Stiles shot back with a snarl, not backing down one bit.

“Whether you want to or not is not my concern. You will breed my young. Or you will die.” The Cyger growled lower, eyes flashing dangerously. “You will be _MINE._ You will _SUBMIT._ ” He leaned in to make a claiming mark on the boy, his teeth dangerously close to Stiles’ neck.

Stiles’ eyes widened and then narrowed in anger. **“FUCK YOU!!!!”** He roared and bit the Cyger Alpha on the muzzle, hard.

The Cyger let out a pained growl of pain before he backhanded Stiles across the face. Stiles felt ringing in his ears and numbly he felt wetness trickling down his burning cheek. His _blood._ **Asshole.** He let out a wounded snarl as the Cyger started raking his claws down the boy’s chest, shredding more of the shirt Stiles had on. “I will beat you bloody, and I will still breed you. I bet you, being the smart one you are, have already figured out we heal quickly.” 

Stiles felt repulsion flooding through his veins and he growled lowly in his chest. Fuck. Fuck, what was he going to do? Where were Scott and Derek? Shit, he couldn’t depend on them, not yet. He had to fight his own battles, right? “Take off your pants or I will shred them, and I’d rather not maim that package of yours.”

_What?!_

_Damn, damn, **damn!**_ Stiles tried in vain to think of a way to get out of all this.

“I don’t think so, asshole.” Came a gravely reply, making Stiles both want to sag in relief and to run for the hills, no matter if the rain sodden earth caused him to trip over everything in the process.

Derek, now back in his Beta form, shoved the Cyger away from Stiles and rammed him into the ground, going for the jugular instantly. No one touched his mate! The Werewolf roared his challenge, tearing a huge wound into the Cyger Alpha’s throat, but regrettably not deep enough to kill. The Cyger, though taken by surprise was no amateur. He roared loudly and threw the Werewolf off of him like he weighed no more than a chew toy. Still, a pain flared deep within himself, and the wound on his neck was causing him to spit out blood. Scott, also in his Beta form, grinned wolfishly as he dug his claws deeper into the Cyger’s back.

Stiles went to join in the fight, still in his Beta Cyger form, but Derek growled at him to stay back. Stiles sighed deeply and watched in fascination as his pack members made quick work of whipping the other Cyger’s ass. Literally. When the Cyger figured he was too injured to fight much more, he took off. Derek growled at Scott and Stiles to stay back and he chased the creature until it was off of the Preserve. There, the scent strangely disappeared into thin air. 

Scott let go of his anger and sighed deeply as his body turned back into human form. He looked over at Stiles, who was trying hard to look like he was not freaking out. Though, Scott had to admit, his friend looked pretty badass in his shifted form. Still, he knew not to approach him just yet. “Stiles, calm down.”

Stiles zipped his glowing golden eyes over to his friend and he laughed hoarsely, “I just got almost raped by a lunatic Werecat Alpha, and you are telling me to calm down? Are you fucking asinine?!”

Scott narrowed his eyes at the thought of some oddball cat creature wanting to rape his best buddy, but then he calmed down, knowing that his anger probably wasn’t going to help Stiles calm down one bit. Plus Derek was handling it for now. “I know it seems crazy, but you need to calm down. Derek is chasing him. You are ok. You are no longer in any danger. Calm down.”

Some inner part of Stiles knew that what Scott was telling him was true, but he was on the verge of a panic attack. He knew that if he released his anger, he’d be going headlong into one. And he so didn’t need one right now. “I can’t calm down. Like, literally.” The rain continued its torrent, causing Stiles to involuntarily shiver.

Scott seemed to understand for his eyebrows drew down with concern. Finally he said softly, “Can you hold out until Derek gets back?” He moved to touch his friend, only to smell a huge sense of dread coming off of Stiles and backing off.

Stiles gulped down a huge breath and nodded shakily.

\---------------------------------------------------------

Derek growled in frustration as he headed back towards his new makeshift pack. The Werecat had basically disappeared off of the face of the Earth after it had left the Preserve. It made him want to howl out his anger and annoyance, but he shoved that wolfish part of him back into the recesses in his mind, knowing that doing that wouldn’t do much good besides freaking out his already freaked out pack. 

The next time they trained, he’d have to ensure that both boys stayed together, that way they wouldn’t be caught so vulnerable, should there be another attack. Guilt flooded into his mind then, making him feel like he sort of failed his new pack. Not only that, but his mate had almost gotten _raped_ and _claimed_. And that is what made the guilt increase tenfold. 

He was so not cut out for training the two new Weres. But, despite all of the guilt he felt about not being there to protect his mate, he knew that he had to be the one to continue to train Scott and Stiles. Derek knew that if he left the two boys to their own devices, one or both could be killed or maimed in ways too horrifying to comprehend. So, with a firmly set determination, Derek vowed to make sure that Stiles and Scott were not put in this sort of position again. At least if he could help it.

When he finally returned, he noted that Stiles was still in his Beta Werecat form, but Scott had managed to calm down enough to release the wolf inside of him. Good, at least Scott was starting to learn control. Granted, the teen probably would have some trouble during the full moon on Friday, but at least he was embracing his inner wolf better than Derek had thought he would. Still, Derek’s main attention went back to Stiles. The poor kid was practically holding on by a thread. He could see it in the way the Werecat was trembling and clenching his fists tightly at his sides. Stiles was trying to take in deep breaths to calm himself down, but Derek knew that it wasn’t working. 

And then Derek’s eyes met Stiles’ golden ones and he felt his inner wolf push to the surface, wanting to wrap itself around its mate, wanting to offer comfort. Derek’s blazing blue eyes regarded Stiles’ golden ones for one long moment until finally he pushed his wolf aside. It was a hard thing to do with his mate so close to the edge, but Derek knew that if he just went over to Stiles and grabbed him in his Werewolf form, the only thing it would accomplish would push the poor boy over said edge. So, instead, Derek calmly advanced towards both Betas, turning to look over Scott first since he was the nearest to him.

“You ok?” Derek asked softly, sniffing the air and catching the muffled damp scent of a few healing wounds but nothing serious.

Scott nodded, “Yea, just that….” The boy tried again. “What was that thing? I know he looked sort of like a tiger, but he had wolf ears and a wolf tail. What type of Were is he? And… why did he want to rape Stiles?”

“I am not quite sure what type of Werecat he was, but I do have an old Bestiary book that belonged to my family before the fire. It has several different Werecats listed, so we might find the information there. As for the other….” He trailed off as he turned to look at Stiles, who was trembling more now, and letting out soft whimpers. Derek knew that if he didn’t get Stiles to calm down soon, then he might do some harm to himself. He then uttered softly, “We will talk about that later. For now, we need to get Stiles to calm down, and to go back to my house.”

Scott nodded mutely, carefully moving out of the way so Derek could try his luck on calming Stiles down. Most days it was easy for Scott to calm his best friend down, but after something like this, he wasn’t sure if he COULD actually do that. Stiles was in his Beta form, and Scott knew somehow that Derek would have more experience with this sort of thing. Granted, Scott still didn’t trust Derek, duh, he wasn’t stupid, but he had to admit that the older Werewolf took this teacher – student thing seriously. 

Derek _cared._

And if Derek could use some of his experience to get Stiles out of this panic induced situation, then Scott whole-heartedly supported him.

Derek approached Stiles, making sure his eyes were locked with his. He moved slowly through the rain, so he wouldn’t scare the other Beta, but he couldn’t help but wince when Stiles flinched, the boy’s heart rate increasing. Derek reached out slightly with his hands, palms facing upwards as if to calm down a spooked horse. Stiles, however, was no horse. But, Derek was patient. For Stiles he would be patient, knowing that while trust might not be on the menu for now, if he could calm Stiles down and get him out of this situation, then he’d score a point in the right direction. Derek knew from past experience that trust was a big step into pack bonding.

He knew that eventually he was going to have to shove his own painful past away in order to trust these two new pack mates, and in turn, possibly gain their trust as well. But, for now, he had to be there for Stiles and Scott. Derek had to be the leader, the teacher, to their pack of outcasts. And if that meant that he had to put off finding Laura’s killer, then so be it. Eventually he would find Laura’s killer, and once he did, he’d kill them. Plain and simple. But, Stiles, his _MATE_ , needed him right now. Stiles was vulnerable, and though the boy might deny it later, right now he needed Derek.

“Stiles.” He murmured softly, keeping his voice calm and even. Licking his lips and catching dripping rainwater, he carefully advanced one more step.

The boy rested his head against the tree he was propped up against, blinking his eyes a few times, breaking the connection with Derek’s beautiful but concerned hazel ones. “Yea?” Stiles forced himself to answer, even though Derek hadn’t ended his nickname with a questioning lilt.

“Is it ok if I touch you?” Derek asked, trying really hard to be patient and gentle. He made one more step closer and stopped, still having his arms half raised, palms facing upwards. 

Stiles bit his lip and cursed softly as his fangs cut his own bottom lip. The smell of his own blood filled his senses and made him almost hurl into the nearest pile of leaves. Still, his ears paid attention to Derek’s calm voice. The sound was filtering over his body, and soon Derek was close enough that his hot breath was on the skin of his face and neck, filtering through his torn shirt. Stiles shivered with a small spike of arousal, not being able to help it with the feel of Derek being so close to him, bare chested, completely drenched, and slightly bloody. 

Warily the boy looked over at Derek, taking in his appearance, breathing in through his nose to catch his scent. Stiles vaguely told himself that he was checking the other man for cuts or injuries, but his inner feline knew all too well that he was partly lying to himself. Derek was a gorgeous individual, and his scent was mouth watering. But, that didn’t change the fact that Derek had chased off the Cyger Alpha that had bitten him; the same Cyger who had tried to rape him only a few short minutes ago. 

And that fact made Stiles see Derek in a new light. Trust was something that Stiles gave away too easily, he knew that. Though that usually turned into a big fault of his, it also turned out to be a strength. True, Stiles had been burned in his childhood like most teenagers his age, but he couldn’t help but want to trust Derek. He might have only known Derek for the past 24 hours, but something about him made Stiles yearn to trust him, to understand him, to possibly help protect him. Stiles had seen the way Derek had basically caved and told them what had happened to his sister only hours ago, and knew that deep down the Werewolf actually cared. He didn’t have to care, but he did.

So, when Derek caught his gaze and held it, hazel eyes questioning and gentle, Stiles nodded stiffly, letting out a breath he had no idea he’d been holding. Derek sighed deeply and nodded. Still, he moved slowly and first touched Stiles on the shoulder with one hand and then finally resting his other hand on Stiles’ waist. Stiles felt his lips quiver and suddenly he couldn’t take it anymore. His adrenaline was shot. His body ached in more ways than one, and the terror and anger that had filled him earlier finally took their toll on the Beta.

Derek, though expecting something like this, still jumped slightly as he suddenly got an armful of wet, totally drenched Stiles. His mate was completely clothed despite a few long jagged rips in his shirt, but the rain had plastered all of that up against his body, making it feel like Stiles had no clothes on at all. Derek reigned in his lust before it became a problem, knowing that as much as he wanted to give into his burning arousal for his mate, he knew that Stiles needed comfort right now. The boy latched onto him, claws and all, burying his head into the older man’s dripping neck, breathing in his comforting scent. “Easy does it.” Derek crooned softly to his mate, wrapping his arms more securely around the younger Beta’s rain drenched body, running his hands up and down Stiles’ back and shoulders. 

Scott let out a soft breath and reached over to rub his best buddy’s arm, smiling hesitantly when the other Beta turned his face to look at him, though his cheek stayed on Derek’s shoulder.

After a few moments Stiles was able to calm down, listening to Derek’s steady heart beat and the soft croonings of both Betas. Finally, he felt the feline inside of him settle and his panic abated, his body turning slowly back into a human’s. Once that happened he felt his eyelids droop, despite the rain continually hitting his face. Usually when he had panic attacks, Stiles either passed out during the worst ones or felt exhausted after the small ones left. He figured this constituted as one of his worst ones, so he actually wasn’t surprised when the darkness took him. But, unlike most of his worst panic attacks, this time he felt warm and safe.

And somehow that made all the difference in the world to Stiles.

\----------------------------------------------------

A half hour later had Derek handing Stiles a cup of soothing Jasmine tea. All three boys were inside the Hale house, sitting or propping themselves up on faded green sofas that looked and smelled like they had seen better days, old blankets wrapped around their heads and shoulders in a bad attempt to dry off. After Stiles had promptly passed out, Derek had pulled him up into his arms and carried him back to the Hale house, Scott following closely behind, the waves of concern coming off of him pungent and sour, despite the rain falling in buckets. Still, Derek had not berated the boy to stop feeling concerned over Stiles, for he was feeling pretty much the same thing.

Once they had reached the Hale house, Derek had gently laid Stiles on a sofa while he busied himself with rooting around in his old kitchen, his duffel of random junk in hand. Finally managing to find a few old blankets that were dusty but not badly so, Derek had tossed them to Scott so that the boy could tend to Stiles the best he could. After attempting to pull Stiles’ sodden shirt over his head and failing miserably when Stiles had nearly punched him in the face unconsciously, Scott had just wrapped the blanket around his buddy. Stiles had cuddled into the dusty nappy thing, and had fallen back asleep. Scott had stayed near his best friend’s side and had rested his head on the arm of the huge dilapidated sofa. After about ten minutes of just sitting there and trying to ignore the chaffing of his still drenched pants against his skin, Scott had pulled out his phone. Thankfully the thing was still ironically dry. Turning it on to check his messages, Scott had cursed a blue streak, causing Stiles to wake up with a snort and nudge him slightly in concern.

“What’s going on?” Stiles had mumbled sleepily, trying to lean over Scott’s shoulder so he could look at the phone.

Scott had sighed and had rubbed a hand over his face. “My mom wants to remind me that my curfew is ten o’clock and it’s already after nine thirty. I am not going to be able to make it home in time, even if you were in any shape to drive me.”

“Text her and let her know that you are staying at my place tonight.” Stiles had said, blinking a bit to try and wake himself up more. “My dad is working the late shift again tonight, so we don’t have to leave for a bit if we don’t want to.”

After Scott had received the ok from his mom, Derek had returned with some tea mugs. Stiles now held his own jasmine tea filled mug in his hands, sighing as warmth took over the chill in his joints and bones. He looked up in thanks at Derek, who was sipping his tea carefully and casually. The domestic act was fascinating and oddly out of place to Stiles, but he knew not to stare and turned to look at Scott, who was lazily twirling a spoon through his tea as if deep in thought.

Perhaps Scott was deep in thought, Stiles mused. There had been a lot that had happened today. And if that Cyger hadn’t interrupted their training, then maybe their first day wouldn’t have been so bad. The silence, though congenial, was getting to Stiles so he naturally broke it, saying softly, “I was bitten by a Cygerious Lupine. That’s what the Alpha was out there.”

Derek and Scott’s attention snapped to Stiles as he explained, “I am not sure why I know that, I just do. I don’t know much else beside the fact that he only bit me to start creating some sort of cat harem to breed him cubs.” He then warily looked up at Derek. “I know that men and most male animals can’t bear children, but do Werecat males?”

Derek looked slightly uncomfortable but then he sat down on the other end of the sofa, and admitted, “I really don’t know. Werecats and Werewolves usually don’t mingle much, usually keeping to ourselves. But, as I said before, I do have a Bestiary that I am going to look through to find out more about your species. It helps to know what type of Werecat you are, so thank you.” He then leaned back and rested his head on the meaty part of the sofa front, grunting, “It might take some time however, since my family Bestiary is in a coded form of old Latin. But, once I find out more I will let you know. In the meantime, I want you both to stick close together.”

Scott and Stiles shared a slight amused look. “We are best friends, of course we stick close together.” Scott grinned and Stiles snickered.

Derek nodded tiredly, but then he turned his attention to both boys before saying seriously, “I mean it. Closer than usual. Now that we know why the Alpha Cyger bit Stiles, we are going to have to take more measures to ensure his safety as well as yours Scott. You still haven’t had an encounter with your own Alpha yet, and though you might think that is a blessing now, it might turn out not to be. So, for now, just stick close to each other as much as possible.”

After both younger Betas agreed, Derek rubbed his face and asked Stiles, “When does your father get home?”

“Um, since it’s the late shift, he probably won’t be back until four or five in the morning.” Stiles answered, yawning hugely in the process. God, he felt like a huge tank had run over him and then backed up to make sure it finished the job.

“Good. Then you both can rest for a bit here, but only for tonight. I don’t want to make this a habit, since there might be hunters in the area looking for me or for the Alphas.” Derek rumbled, draining the rest of his tea.

Both Betas nodded in understanding as the older man stood. Derek pulled out some bills out of his wallet and handed them to Scott, who looked a bit confused. “I haven’t been able to go grocery shopping yet, and I will do so tomorrow while you two are in school. So, order some pizza or something that remotely doesn’t taste like crap. I should have had you both eat before you got here, but I had other things on my mind yesterday.”

“Cool beans.” Stiles said just about the same time as Scott said, “Ok.”

\---------------------------------------------------------

The boys had settled on pizza, since you really couldn’t go wrong with pizza. Though they had to tip the pizza delivery boy a few extra bucks for driving all the way up to the creepy burnt out Hale house, the two new Weres figured it was worth it. Yummy pepperoni pizza for Stiles and a combo with extra olives for both Derek and Scott were quickly devoured in silence.

However, once Stiles had gotten some food and much needed water into his stomach, the boy started firing off questions about Werewolves and basically anything Were related. Derek, though slightly annoyed by all the questions, figured it was a small price to pay to have his mate feeling and looking better. The boy still had a slight rasp in his breathing, due to the panic attack earlier, and was still mostly wet due to his clothes, but Derek sensed that after a good night sleep, Stiles would be back to normal. As normal as a new Were could be under the circumstances. Not that Stiles would sleep much tonight after what happened with that Cyger Alpha….

“Hey, if Scott got cured of his asthma, have I been cured of my ADHD?” Stiles suddenly asked around a mouthful of delicious pizza.

Both Scott and Derek watched in horrified fascination at how Stiles managed to basically inhale his food while simultaneously talking legibly. Derek blinked his attention on his own piece of pizza and after swallowing around his food, he answered, “Have you taken your medicine this morning?”

“Um… yea I have.” Stiles confessed with a shrug. “It’s kind of an automatic thing to do on my whole morning habitual routine.”

“Try not taking it tomorrow and see if you can focus on your studies. If you can focus pretty well, then you shouldn’t have to take your Adderall much in the future.” Derek said, turning his attention to Scott, who was looking a bit mopey. “What is it, Scott?”

“It’s just that, I was wondering… but you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to…..” Scott then blurted out, “Is there a cure?”

Stiles stared at his buddy as if he’d grown horns and a tail. Taking a moment to viciously bite a chunk out of his piece of pizza, he mumbled, “Are you fucking kidding me, Scott?”

“Well, I wanna know!” Scott defended himself, looking a bit petulant. “I mean, not that this isn’t cool or anything, but I really didn’t sign up for any of this. And well, it’d be nice to know if there was an option of being ‘normal’ out there or not.”

Derek regarded Scott for a few minutes while he finished his pizza slice. Trying to choose his words carefully, Derek finally answered, “There is a rumor of a possible cure, but I am not sure if it’s true.”

He had both teens’ undivided attention at that. Sighing, he said, “The only way I have heard of even a possibility of a cure is by killing the one that bit you. You’d have to kill the Alpha Werewolf.”

“Fucking Jesus Christ.” Scott cursed vehemently, scowling in frustration.

Stiles reached over and patted his friend on the back. “Well I guess you are stuck being a Werewolf for now. Unless, you want to go hunt down your Alpha and kill him or her. Though, that sort of was the plan anyways, since Derek needs our help finding it to make sure that it was in fact the one who killed his sister.”

“Shit, this is not funny, Stiles! What if I wanted to have a normal life for once?” Scott sulked moodily. “All I wanted was to get on First Line in Lacrosse, and now I have an awesome girl who wants to go out with me. Can’t I just be normal so I don’t end up hurting anyone? Or killing anyone? Is that too much to ask?” Scott whined, which grated on both Stiles and Derek’s nerves. “Look, I know I told you that I’d be ok with finding the Alpha and help killing it, but this is really messing with my head! I didn’t know I’d have to kill the Alpha by myself!”

Derek rolled his eyes and said, “Scott, you are in this whether you want it or not. I can’t help that, and neither can the both of you. I am helping train you both to hone your senses and to not lose control. You can have a pretty boring ‘normal’ life if you want to for the most part. You just have to make sure you are trained properly, of which I already said I would teach you both all that I know. All I want in return is to get justice for my sister. That’s all I ask. And if that means helping you kill the Alpha that bit you, if that Alpha is indeed the one who killed my sister, then that is fine. Both of us will get what we want in the end. But, I can’t do it by myself. And I definitely don’t expect you to not have help. We need each other in order for this to work at all. I am going to need your help.”

He then looked at Stiles, “And even if you seem pretty content being a Cyger, that Alpha Cyger still will be drawn to you. We might have been able to scare him off for now, but he will be back. He may or may not kill you the next time he sees you, or worse. Hence why I want you both to stick together at all times.”

Both boys nodded, staring off into space, deep within their own thoughts. Derek was quiet for a few moments to let everything sink in before saying, “Though killing the Alpha might not change you back to being human, Scott, I need you to help me find him or her. At least help me with that. And if it turns out that it is the same Alpha that killed my sister, then I will help you kill him or her. Even if they are not the same creature, I will still help you kill him or her because all three of us are pack now. Your problem is my problem now. Just as Stiles’ problems are mine, and vise versa.”

Scott nodded, looking rather depressed, but then he sighed, “Yea, ok, I’ll do it.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------

After resting at the Hale house for a couple of hours, Stiles and Scott left Derek with the promise that they’d be back for training the next night after work. Though it would be a total late night, regarding both boys had to work after Lacrosse Practice at their respected jobs until 9:30, at least they didn’t have to lie much about the training to their folks. Stiles’ dad had the late shift again the next night, so he wouldn’t be home until well after Stiles. And Scott’s mom was working an overnight shift, so Scott didn’t have to worry about her either. Both Scott and Stiles weren’t naïve to think that this would work every night. They’d have to come up with plausible alibies for being out late at night soon enough. At least for tonight they were ok, even if Stiles’ dad or Scott’s mom called to check up on them. If they ran late in training with Derek tonight, as long as they kept a low profile and didn’t get spotted by any patrol peeps, they would be fine. They had to make sure they didn’t ditch school the next morning though. 

Derek had pointed out that they all had to act as normal as possible during the daytime to avoid suspicion from Scott’s mom and Stiles’ dad. So, that meant going to school, studying, and being ‘normal’ if at all possible. When Scott had whined about all of the training scheduled until the full moon, Derek had pointed out snidely that if the boy wanted to go the party on Friday with Allison, then he was going to have to take all the extra training. After their first full moon was over, Derek had said that he’d lessen up on the training. Meaning he would have them train three nights a week instead of every night.

Stiles didn’t mind so much about the extra training. It sort of made him feel pretty awesome that Derek cared enough to want to insure that Scott and himself were both able to make it through their first full moon unscathed. Even if the main agenda of their Beta teacher was to make sure they didn’t maim or kill anyone, it still made Stiles feel kind of happy that the dude fucking cared. 

After heading to Stiles’ place that night, both boys had taken turns with the shower and had collapsed into bed, noting that it was already past two in the morning. Though Stiles was sort of used to sleeping only four to five hours of sleep a night, Scott wasn’t. So, Stiles figured that the other boy was going to be a grumpy wolf once they got ready for school, pun intended.

Still, as Stiles laid his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, bad dreams haunted him. The glowering crazed red eyes of the Alpha Cyger filtered in those dreams, and it caused him to wake himself up in cold sweats throughout most of the remainder of the night. Scott was oblivious save for reaching over and cuddling Stiles to him more. Even if the sleeping buddy of his was only using him as a cuddle toy, it still comforted Stiles to know there was someone there with him. It helped dispel the fear and the anxiety that came with those dreams.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek watched the Stilinski house with keen eyes, making sure he was hidden by the trees of the surrounding forested area to not arouse any neighbor’s suspicions. He knew how nosy neighbors could get. The older Werewolf had found that out once Laura had moved them both to New York. They had both lived together in a flat near the outskirts of the big city until Derek had moved into his own apartment nearby during college. Still, their neighbors had always been nosy around them; always wanting to know their business. Laura had stated that it was good to have neighbors like that just in case they needed help or something like that, but Derek had figured those neighbors were meddlesome more often than not.

Speaking of Laura’s apartment… Derek sighed softly. Damnit, not only did he have to contact his own landlady about the lease to his own apartment, he was also going to have to deal with Laura’s lease. Though it’d best to go ahead and call the landlady in the next day or so, the actual legal crap could wait until the two new Betas were settled for the most part. Sniffing the air slightly, Derek noted that nothing was amiss with the Stilinski house. Scott was zonked out completely, probably exhausted.

However, after about an hour, Derek sensed that Stiles was having a nightmare. Chewing on his lower lip, Derek fought the urge to go into the boy’s open window to check up on him and to cuddle him. He pushed his inner wolf instincts down, knowing that it’d be way too awkward if the Sheriff got home and found all three of them cuddled together. Derek didn’t want his first meeting with the Sheriff to be a bad one, even though he knew he might not get that wish. With two stray Alphas on the loose, possibly three, dead bodies were going to start to pile up. And Derek just knew that it was only a matter of time that his sister’s other half would be identified by forensics. 

After that happened, he’d be a possible suspect. He knew now that it might have been stupid to bury the top half of his sister’s body near the Hale house, but it had seemed like a good idea at the time. That grave would be found eventually, though Derek didn’t have a doubt that Stiles and Scott wouldn’t betray the secret to the police. With that in mind, Derek tried to think of a different place to train the two teens. True, he still wanted to use the Preserve as the main location for training, but maybe there was a place that they all could meet that was possibly safer. More secluded.

He’d have to mull over that one later. Right now he needed to leave before the Sheriff got home. So, with a heavy heart at the thought of leaving his mate to his inner demons, Derek made his way back to his Camaro. After getting inside, and driving away, Derek headed towards the hospital. He knew that he wouldn’t be catching any sleep whatsoever throughout the remainder of the night. So, he’d might as well get a visit in with his uncle to at least pay his respects. Uncle Peter was catatonic… a living husk of what he’d used to be, but after all that his uncle had been through, Derek figured that his uncle deserved a visit, if not more than one. Even if Derek had to sneak in to his uncle’s room, at least he’d be able to see him.

Besides, maybe if he could reach through to Peter, somehow get some clues out of his uncle, and then maybe Derek could be set on the right path into finding Laura’s killer.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning at school had both boys nearly sleeping through first period. Thankfully their teacher was not much of a morning person either, so he just mumbled monotonously through Algebra, not really caring too much if some if not half of his students were zoning out or snoring. Still, when the bell rang, both boys jumped nearly out of their skins at how loud it sounded. Stiles yelped slightly and rubbed his ears. Apparently his new sensitive hearing was still something to get used to.

Feeling like his head was stuck in a barrel for whatever reason, Stiles shuffled to his locker, moping deep in his thoughts. He put his stuff away and grabbed a few more books before heading to his next class. Stiles was almost to the familiar History classroom when he finally noticed that Scott wasn’t with him. Blinking his eyes widely, now completely and utterly awake, Stiles frantically looked around for his buddy. Shit, where was he? Hadn’t Derek specifically stated for them to stick together more than usual?

He finally spotted Scott talking to a pretty brunette with a big smile and ridiculously cute dimples and sighed deeply. That must be Allison.  
Stiles wandered over to where the two were talking, and smiled hesitantly before interrupting their conversation. “Oh, there you are Scotty, my man. Sorry, you must be Allison?”

Allison smiled sheepishly and nodded, “Hi, you must be Stiles.”

Scott looked slightly like a kicked puppy that Stiles was getting his new girlfriend’s attention, but the Werecat shrugged it off. “Yea, that would be me. Um, actually can I steal your boyfriend? It’s nearly time for class and I don’t want him to be late. His mom would kill me, seriously.” He really hated being a dick, but well it sort of was warranted in this case.

At Scott’s puzzled look, Stiles all but dragged him into the History class room. “Look, sorry for snabbing you from what looked like a horribly entertaining convo with your new girlfriend, but don’t you remember what Derek said last night?”

Scott looked a bit amused before the expression soon turned to realization, and then to embarrassment. “Oh crap. I’m sorry! I was following you, I swear! But, then I saw Allison, and since we only have like two classes together, I just wanted to say hi.”

Figures.

“Looks like you two were saying more than hi, but don’t mind me.” Stiles sat down behind Scott and got out his huge gargantuan World History book, accidentally slamming it onto the desk with more force than necessary. At the weird looks being shot at him nearby, he blushed and mumbled, “Jesus, I so need to remember my own strength.” Or new strength.

Scott pulled out his own book and sighed deeply, turning to look at Stiles. “Look, I really am sorry. I know he said to stick really close together, but I just got distracted. It won’t happen again.”

Stiles mentally rolled his eyes, but gave his best friend a forgiving smile. Stiles might be 147 pounds of dead weight, but he so was not an idiot. He figured his buddy would get distracted by Allison way more times than he’d ever want to think about in the future. Depressing, yea, but Stiles also knew that he really had no right to blame Scott. If Lydia Martin had ever looked at Stiles the way that Allison looked at Scott, well then he’d totally be the same way. Not that the beautiful and talented strawberry blonde haired girl would pay that sort of attention to Stiles anyways. But, a boy could dream.

“Yea, ok.” Stiles said with another quirky smile.

The rest of the day dragged by with a boring-ness that rivaled Stiles going to see his aunt up in Idaho one summer a few years past. He’d never, ever wanted to repeat that experience again. His aunt lived in a dumpy old town that if you spit while driving by, you’d miss it. It was that small. And nothing against small towns, but there had been absolutely nothing to do during the time that he’d stayed with his aunt. There had been no cable, no internet, hardly any books besides Harlequin romances that seemed more sappy than real, and no cell phone reception. Stiles had been shocked to learn that Aunt Maggie had had an actual land lined phone. At least the damned thing worked. Outside hadn’t been much better, seeing as his aunt lived on a small farm, and about the only thing one could do without getting kicked in the face by Aunt Maggie’s mule was to muck out the chicken coop. Yea, no fun whatsoever for a city kid.

Once he’d gotten back to civilization, Stiles had made his dad promise not ever to send him there again. Period. Now though, it was finally time for Lacrosse practice. Maybe he could actually work the field for once since one of the boys was out sick. 

Coach Finstock chose Stiles to go out and play, but only because he was slightly better than Greenberg. Honestly, that was sort of an insult. Anyone was better than Greenberg.

But, hey, he was playing now. As he went through the motions, sticking close to Scott just in case Jackson got too brutal with his forceful shoves, Stiles figured he wasn’t doing so bad. True, he wasn’t a sudden star like Scott had been a few days before, but he ended up making a few goals. It was enough for the coach to draw him aside and ask him if he was dealing drugs. When Stiles had looked up at him with a confused expression, coach had laughed jokingly and slapped him on the back. “You’ve made the cut!”

 _Holy sweet Jesus, did I just make first line?_ Stiles thought, openly gaping at Finstock before letting out a whoop that would make a dying coyote impressed. Scott wandered over to him and gave him a playful shove with his shoulder. “That is fucking awesome, dude!”

“I know, isn’t it?! Oh my god.” Stiles grinned, laughing like a lunatic. 

His smile slowly slipped off his face as he noted Scott was suddenly looking elsewhere, confusion all over his face. “What is it?” Stiles asked, sniffing the air carefully, not really being able to catch much of anything other than the sweat from the other players and grass.

Scott rubbed the back of his neck and continued to look around. 

“Scott?” Stiles pressed, scanning the tree line near the field.

Scott seemed to snap out of whatever haze he’d been in and gave Stiles a goofy puzzled smile. “Sorry, just felt like someone was watching us.”

“Was it Derek? Because if it is, why can’t I smell him?” Stiles asked softly, still looking around.

“No, not Derek. Just… some sort of weird feeling. I don’t know.” Scott then shrugged and slapped Stiles’ arm. “Come on, let’s hit the showers.”

Stiles gave the tree line one last look before heading after Scott as the team went for the locker rooms. Ugh, did it always stink in here? That’s one thing that had been a quick side effect from receiving the Cyger bite. Stiles’ increased sense of smell. And it still shocked him that he could smell so much, especially in the locker room. Who knew that people got so turned on in a friggin dirty locker room?! This place reeked! He sneezed a few times before quickly showering all of the sweat and grime off of his body. Drying himself off, putting deodorant on, and his clothes in record timing had Stiles wandering over to Scott while the other boy was in the process of pulling a clean shirt on.

“So, do you need me to drive you to work?” Stiles asked, trying hard not to crack a tired yawn.

“No, it’s ok. I think I might go for a run. You know, practice that endurance thing that Derek was trying to teach us last night.” Scott said with a smile.

“You sure? I mean, I could totally drop you off.” _And make sure you don’t get hacked to pieces by that Cyger or Werewolf Alpha._ Stiles kept that last thought to himself though, trying to not be the clingy best friend. He also inwardly felt unease at the thought of being left alone for long. Shit, it wasn’t like he was actually raped, but the fact that he almost had been was freaking Stiles out a bit. So, it stood to reason that Stiles couldn’t help feeling nervous. He didn’t want Scott to worry about it though, so he didn’t say more.

“No, it’s really ok.” Scott beamed then. “Plus, I don’t mind running now. It feels good to run and not have to worry anymore about taking an inhaler with me.”  
Stiles smiled back, “I hear ya buddy. Ok, but if anything happens or whatever, text me or Derek ok?” _And if you don’t I am going to filet you alive, buddy._ He thought grimly.

“Sure thing.” Scott nodded.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles sighed miserably as he slowly put on his black apron, wishing for like the hundredth time that he didn’t have to work at this place. True, it was a job, but still. If he didn’t love pizza so much, he probably would have been turned off of pizza completely due to the less than sanitary grease stains all over the floors in the backroom of Papa Mama’s. Still, at least the pizza dough they made every day was fresh, same with the produce and even the cheese packages were opened once every morning. Despite figuring that this pizzeria was better than most, Stiles really wasn’t liking the fact that now he could smell nasty stuff, ranging from the scent of one of his coworker’s bad body odor to the gross tang of bread mold growing underneath the large freezers – also in the backroom. At least there wasn’t a rodent infestation. He’d been traumatized beyond belief by the sound of small scurrying critters rifling through the large green trash bins out back. At least they were OUTSIDE of the pizzeria, and not on the inside of it.

He rubbed his short buzz of hair over his head before pinning on his “Stiles” nametag onto the left chest pocket of his apron. Wrinkling his nose comically at the smells of the backroom, Stiles headed up to the front room, clocking in at the register, saying a brief hi to his smelly coworker, and put some plastic gloves on. Papa Mama’s was one of those pizzerias that basically put together any pizza anyone could imagine, but never actually cooked it for anyone. Most people called in an order of what they wanted, Stiles or one of his coworkers put together the pizza from three different types of sauces, several different types of cheeses, etcetera, on fresh dough. Then they put plastic wrap all over it with a sheet of instructions on how to cook it, and then gave it to the customer once they came to pick it up. On the oddball occasion, they had peeps come in to order it onsite and wait until everything was finished.

At least Stiles got a good discount on pizza at this place. About the only reason why he’d hardly ever took any of this stuff home, was the fact that he’d been working at the pizzeria for nearly six months now, and well, most peeps got really tired of eating at the place they worked at. Stiles was no different. And now, with his extra senses from being a recently turned Cyger coming into play, Stiles was seriously thinking of finding a better job. An office job would be boring as hell, but it’d be better than smelling and hearing things he really didn’t need to smell and hear. At least his eyesight wasn’t catching onto dust-bunnies or anything creepy like that. 

Stiles briefly thought if Derek had ever gotten a job at a restaurant as a teenager or whatever. Feeling it shockingly weird that he was even thinking of ‘Derek’ and ‘job’ in the same sentence, Stiles ripped his spastic mind away from La-La Land and tried to concentrate on actually working. It was hard to do, since it was a Wednesday, and Wednesdays were always slow at the pizzeria. Idly searching for anything to do, Stiles decided on rolling out some dough. While doing so, he noticed that his coworker was giving him wary side looks.

Arching a brow, Stiles shrugged it off, and continued to roll the dough. At least he had someone on shift with him. He normally didn’t mind being by himself, but Papa Mama’s had a rule that no one was allowed to work by themselves unless one person was out on lunch break, if they worked long enough to receive that. Stiles hadn’t ever been so grateful for that rule than right now. At least the Cyger, if he was out there watching his movements, would not attack him here, where there might be a witness

After a few tense minutes, he started randomly trying to make conversation. Stiles was not one who liked uncomfortable, awkward silences. Seems like the other teen was not really keen on making conversation though, and after a few monosyllable answers to Stiles’ questions, the Beta Cyger sighed deeply. Giving up usually wasn’t something Stiles liked doing when it came to being sociable, but he knew when to back off. If his creepy smelling coworker – Isaac, was that his name? – wanted to be boringly quiet, oh well.

Stiles paused in rolling out some dough and looked up at the huge white and black clock posted on the wall. Crap. Three more useless hours to go. He grunted in despair and heard a mutual despairing sigh coming from his coworker. Chancing a glance at the other boy, Stiles took the time to look him over. The kid was totally bad boy material. Black pants, black non-skid boots, red uniform shirt underneath his black apron didn’t match quite right with the black eyeliner, black lipstick, and string of piercings through his ears, eyebrows, and nose. The electric blue spikes in his naturally curly hair didn’t help the image either, but who was Stiles to talk? Stiles had a sneaky suspicion that Isaac had a tongue ring too. Isaac usually was sullenly quiet at the best of times, but he wasn’t this Emo. Isaac was really going for the Emo award of the night if actions spoke louder than words. The other teen looked positively miserable. Not just that, but he seemed a bit off. 

Not that Stiles knew quite how he understood that something was wrong with Isaac, but he could sense it. Call it another weird quirk of being a Cyger, but Stiles was definitely not liking the vibes coming off of that boy. Blinking a bit, and noticing that he was staring, Stiles turned his attention back to rolling out some dough. By the time someone actually graced their presence coming into the pizzeria fifteen minutes later, Stiles was about ready to climb the walls. Literally.

Isaac quickly greeted the couple with more haste and relief than Stiles had ever seen him, and things seemed to liven up a bit. The dude even looked like a puppy. If a puppy could look like some twisted up version of a goth kid going Madonna. The tension was replaced with an unsteady calm for a bit, while Stiles fixed the couple their pizzas, wrapping them up and handing them over to Isaac, who in turn rang the purchase up on the register. After the couple left, Stiles looked back up at the clock and groaned in frustration.

It was only seven and he had two hours and fifteen minutes to go. Could this night get any slower?

He started slightly when he heard a soft snicker. Stiles blinked and looked over at Isaac, who was chewing on his lip, a vague smirk on his face. Feeling a bit better that the ice had pretty much broken between both boys, Stiles went back to rolling dough, this time in comfortable silence.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles felt stupid for not noticing it earlier.

About an hour and a half into his shift he noticed that what he’d thought was bad body odor coming from Isaac was actually something different altogether. The scent was animal, that was for sure, but it was off, as if it smelled like hurt or bleeding or something. Though the boy had gotten to be a bit calmer around Stiles in the past hour or so, Isaac started clenching and unclenching his fists. Stiles at first vaguely thought that the dude needed one serious stress ball, but then he started noticing something else. Isaac caught his look and instantly stopped what he was doing, scowling at Stiles warily.

“Sorry, just noticed….” Hell, Stiles wasn’t sure what he’d noticed about the hand clenching. But, things were starting to come together in his head and finally he blurted, “You having girl trouble?”

Isaac’s pierced eyebrows went up in shock before he flushed and mumbled, “If only it’d be that easy.”

“Boy trouble?” Stiles then asked, because now that his curiosity was piqued, he couldn’t help himself.

“No.”

“Bad fight?”

Isaac was hesitant this time. “…no.”

“School problems?”

“NO.” 

“Well then what gives?” Stiles asked, folding his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed at the other boy.

“Nothing!” Isaac growled, and that’s when Stiles got his proof to his suspicions.

Isaac’s eyes were glowing. Amber, like Scotts’ had when he’d shifted the night before.

_Shit._

“Uh, dude, your eyes… um… your eyes are…. STOP THAT.” Stiles growled in spite of himself. The other boy was really having a hard time keeping his breathing and growling down. “Isaac, it’s ok. It’s no big deal if you are a Were. I would be a hypocrite if I thought differently.”

Isaac shivered slightly and took in a few deep breaths until he nodded slowly, getting more under control. He even offered Stiles a small smile. “Sorry, just new to the ropes, you know?”

No he hadn’t known. But he knew _now._ Stiles nodded and briefly patted the other teen on the back. “I’m a newbie too. When were you turned?”

Isaac chewed on his lower lip and shrugged, “Monday night. I was out working the late shift at the graveyard and he approached me.”

The _Alpha._ Stiles didn’t have to say it, figuring that it must have been either the Cyger Alpha or the Werewolf Alpha. The fact that Isaac was working two jobs didn’t bother Stiles as much as it should have. Isaac went to his school and even was on the Lacrosse team, though now that Stiles thought about it, both Scott and himself should have sensed something about him the past few days. Then again, it’s not like they were necessarily looking at their classmates as possible other Weres. Feeling a bit stupid about that, Stiles vowed to himself to be more on alert. 

And since Isaac was a new Were, that meant that he’d need help too. Though Stiles shouldn’t be so quick to judge a person by eye color alone, he figured that he was still right to suspect that Isaac had been bitten by the Werewolf Alpha. If that was the case, then Isaac needed to go to Derek. And fast.  
Stiles nodded, conversationally offering, “Scott and I were bit on Sunday.”

“Scott? Scott McCall?” Isaac asked, arching a brow, a funny look covering his face.

The Cyger shrugged slightly, “Yea, long story. Probably not the best time to talk here?” He caught the slow nod from Isaac, and then hesitantly offered, “If you want, when I go to pick up Scott for training, you could come with? There is another Beta offering to help train us. He’d be happy to help.” God, Derek was going to kill him.

Isaac looked a bit uneasy, and then he shook his head no. “I’d better not. My dad wants me home as soon as I get off work.”

It wasn’t the phrase that made Stiles suspicious. It was the way Isaac said it. Suddenly, he noted that the awful blood smell that he had scented around the teen earlier had dissipated, and now there was only a lingering smell of dried blood. Crap. This was more serious than Stiles had thought. Narrowing his eyes slightly, but not wanting to spook the other teen, Stiles said softly, “Ok, but if the Alpha makes you do something you don’t want to do, or if you are uncomfortable, or want any help with anything, you can talk to me ok?”

“Why would my Alpha want me to do something I wouldn’t want to do?” Isaac looked confused. “And isn’t he the same Alpha that bit you and Scott?”

“Um… well… er… crap. It’s complicated.” Stiles sighed deeply and shrugged, “Just, if something DOES end up happening like that, let us know and we will help, ok?”

“Thanks… I think.” Isaac warily looked at Stiles before lapsing into silence.

After that, there wasn’t much to talk about, even if there was a huge Elephant in the room. Regardless, Stiles made sure to exchange cell phone numbers before leaving, just in case the curly haired goth wolf changed his mind. He knew that Derek was so not going to be pleased.

Work went by at an easier pace, and when Stiles left, watching sadly as Isaac hurried away on his bike, he pulled his jeep around to go pick up Scott. There wasn’t much he could do about Isaac until he talked with both Scott and Derek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yea, couldn't help putting Isaac in there. And I could totally see him as a goth boy. So, I am sorry if that kind of make peeps upset, but I couldn't help it. Let me know what you guys think. Next chap should be up on Sunday, Oct 6 - o_o wow it's going to be October already!


	3. Chapter Three: Training Part Two and Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek let out a gruff, “Shut up.”
> 
> “Yea, not going to happen, buddy.” Stiles bitched.
> 
> “Stiles.”
> 
> “Well, obviously it’s still not going to happen, because I am still talking.”
> 
> _“Stiles.”_
> 
> “What?!”
> 
> “Shut up, or when you get here, I will rip your throat out, with my _teeth._ ” Derek promised in the most seductive voice he could manage.  
>  It worked.
> 
> Or at least he thought it worked. Stiles drew in a deep breath and muttered, “Asswolf,” before he hung up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this is a short chapter. It was more of a filler, but I promise the next one will be at a nice long length. Enjoy!
> 
> Also, due to Isaac's situation, I am going to add 'discussions of abuse' in the tags for warnings, just to be safe. I won't show him actually getting abused, but there will be references to it. And I can't believe I forgot to add 'heat cycles' in the tags! o_o sheez.

[](http://s897.photobucket.com/user/AzrielGROF/media/Underneath_zps1aa052ae.jpg.html)

**Chapter Three: Training Part Two and Discussions**

Isaac huffed a sigh as he hesitated on the threshold of his so called home. Pulling out a small pocket mirror from his backpack, he rechecked his appearance. Seeing that his lips and eyes were clear of makeup, he huffed another sigh. His dad usually didn’t care what the fuck he wore, just as long as it wasn’t classified as feminine, but if he saw makeup, yea, it made evenings more hellish than normal. He scanned his face and ears, making sure that there was no jewelry or studs in his piercings. 

Not that it really mattered with his dad. Mr. Lahey might not care about the piercings, but Isaac had learned a long time ago not to have any sort of metal piercing on himself just in case he got a beating. Having an earring ripped right out of your ear was not a fun experience. He was just surprised that the wound hadn’t scarred. That still didn’t keep Isaac from wanting to wear the piercings. Call him a masochist when it came to body piercings, but it was better than cutting himself. At least with the piercings, he felt like he had something he didn’t need to hide about himself when he was out of the house. True, he had tried cutting himself a few years back, but nothing really satisfied himself the way piercings did. Heh, maybe his dad was right. Maybe he liked looking like a girl. 

Or maybe he just liked feeling pretty. Isaac would totally risk a tattoo, if he’d known that his dad wouldn’t hit the ceiling. Piercings were one thing, tattoos were another. It was sort of the same ‘argument’ that coincided with makeup. His dad didn’t care about gothic styles or whatnot, but if his son came in wearing makeup, that went too far in showing a ‘feminine’ side. Thank god he’d never ever let his dad know that he was bisexual either. His dad was one of those homophobic bastards that thought everyone who was that way were scum and needed to be wiped off of the face of the planet.

Isaac wasn’t stupid by any means, however. He knew that his dad probably suspected his sexual orientation, but since the boy never gave Mr. Lahey proof of it, his dad really couldn’t accuse him of it. Not that that ever stopped him before. If Isaac ever slipped up in the future, there would be worse than a beating, or being locked in the freezer downstairs in the basement in store for him.

And now that Isaac was a Werewolf, he had more to keep secret. And it wouldn’t due to anger his dad, though that seemed impossible a feat to keep from doing lately. If he got into a beating now, he’d risk exposure, since his body now healed much faster than a human’s did. The Alpha Werewolf had been very plain about keeping his existence as secretive as possible. Isaac had known that he wasn’t the first to be bitten, for the Alpha had offered that he’d been the second. That’s all the Alpha had told him, but now he knew that Scott McCall must have been the first. Stiles hadn’t smelled like a Wolf, but he had smelled more animal than a human, so he must have been bitten by someone else other than the Alpha Werewolf. 

It made Isaac wonder more about things left to be buried for now.

Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Isaac put his compact mirror back into the secret pouch in his backpack that also held his stash of eyeliner and lipstick. With another heavy sigh, Isaac opened the door and walked into the house.

Maybe life would get better once he got some much needed training. And if the Alpha Werewolf didn’t take it upon himself to train the new Beta, then maybe he could get help from Stiles and Scott. Stiles had said that both Scott and himself were getting trained by another Beta. Maybe that other Beta could help Isaac if his Alpha didn’t? He wasn’t sure what was going to happen come the full moon on Friday. His Alpha hadn’t said much only that he’d best be there at the graveyard when the sun went down.

\----------------------------------------------------------

As Derek waited at the Hale house for the two new Betas, he again looked down at the sheets he had printed out earlier that day explaining a rough outline of all of the information he could decipher from the Bestiary about Cygers. There was regrettably not much information at all on them. Probably this was due to the fact that Cygers themselves were extremely rare, if not mostly extinct. This might be the reason behind why the Cyger Alpha that had tried to get Stiles to submit to him so quickly. If the Alpha was trying to create a pride of breeding Betas and Omegas, maybe it was just mainly instinct that was driving him to do so, not necessarily out of cruelty. Still, to try and force anyone, human or no, to be in a harem like that, it boiled Derek’s blood. 

Rape, that’s what it was. And it was _unacceptable._

There was no way in Hell’s outhouse that Derek was going to let one of his new pack get captured and forced to a life of humiliation, terror, and pain like that. Even if Stiles hadn’t been his mate, Derek still would have deemed it unacceptable. No creature, regardless of breed or species, should be subject to that sort of torture. 

Feeling his inner wolf get agitated at the thought of any of his new pack, especially Stiles, being subject to that, Derek tried to think of something else. He rubbed his face and instinctively snorted. He probably looked totally wretched right about now, due to the fact that he hadn’t slept in almost forty eight hours. At least he’d been able to get in a shower and a much needed shave earlier that morning after he’d come back from talking with his uncle. Or was it talking at his uncle?  
At that thought, Derek’s mind was drawn to Uncle Peter.

The man that had been his uncle was gone. What was left was a catatonic shell, barely alive at best. But, at least Derek got to get some of his feelings off of his chest as he sat in front of him in a stiff hospital chair, the room dimly lit. He’d told Peter everything, well everything except for one thing. Somehow, he knew he should keep the connection between himself and Stiles a secret still. Besides, it wasn’t as if Derek could act on claiming his mate in any way shape or form until Stiles was ready, if he ever was. Plus, if Derek had told his uncle about it, even if the man was barely there at all, then things would have gotten real very quick. It was like ‘voicing a truth and it becoming more real’ or something to that nature. And due to all of the mess that was Derek’s life right now, he really didn’t need to have it realer than it already was.

So, Derek had kept silent about having a mate. But, he had told Peter everything else: about Scott and Stiles being bitten by two different species of Alphas; about Laura’s death and the possibility that her killer was the same one who had bitten Scott. 

After getting all of his insecurities off of his chest, Derek hadn’t really felt any better. But, there was a lightening of the load on his shoulders after talking to his uncle. And though that might not be much, it had allowed Derek to breathe a little bit easier after leaving the hospital. He’d gone back to the hotel, washed and shaved. After that, he had poured himself into deciphering the Bestiary. Now that he knew what Stiles was, it had made his life a whole lot easier, instead of trying to decipher the whole Bestiary, as he had started to do the day before.

Once the information was pulled from the Bestiary as best as he could with what limited resources he had with internet deciphering engines, Derek had gone to the local library as soon as it opened for the day, to print everything off. Stapling everything together and putting the packet into a cheap folder, Derek had left the library and had gone to the grocery store. Derek never was one to go shopping for anything, though Laura always seemed to land him with the chore of buying groceries. Since Laura never was a good cook, Derek had learned to cook for both of them, using online recipes or recipe books bought from the local Barnes & Nobles in New York. Since he didn’t have any of the books, he’d have to use the online bookmarks of good recipes. 

Unfortunately, all of that would have to wait until he could get an apartment. Once he did that, then he could truly cook up some meals. So, for now, he’d have to contend with soup, lunch meat, bread and produce. The old Hale house’s kitchen was tarnished still, and about the only thing that served as a heating device was an old hot plate that hadn’t melted, that was on top of the stove. He’d managed to find matches and a few candles in his duffel which were to serve as emergency supplies. Due to Laura’s constant nagging at being prepared, Derek always had a duffle full of that crap in his Camaro. That had been the only reason why he’d been able to get the hot plate actually warm enough to heat the tea the night before for his new pack.

Still, a new apartment would be really nice.

So, first thing tomorrow morning, he was going to call his landlady back in New York, tell her the situation, and figure out the lease. Once that was done, he was going to physically find himself a new apartment. Even if he didn’t have anything in the way of furniture yet, at least he’d have a roof over his head, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a place that didn’t smell like stale scents of random humans.

Once he got all of that settled, he’d feel a bit more comfortable. Plus, he’d have a place for the pack to hide out if they needed to.

After coming back to the room to deposit his groceries for the time being, Derek had taken the time to surf the web for possible good locations for apartments so at least he’d have an idea of where to go the next day. After bookmarking several places, he’d pulled out some bread and ham to fix himself a sandwich for lunch. About halfway through munching on his lunch, Derek spotted the jackpot.

However, the place wasn’t going to be available until next month. Cursing softly, Derek sighed deeply. Well, it could always be worse.

That was only two weeks away. He hated the thought of living in a hotel for two weeks, but it was better than nothing.

Closing his laptop, Derek had decided to go back to the Preserve for a run and to check the perimeter. It was there, that he stayed until it came close to six thirty. During his last run, he smelled a stronger scent of the strange Alpha. Instantly, the Beta’s hackles rose, and if he’d been wolfed out, he would have been chomping his fangs together in fury. Derek had followed the scent of the Alpha to the outskirts of the preserve. 

The scent lead down the road a ways before it disappeared in the mingling scents of passing cars and diesel trucks. 

Derek had cursed a blue streak, but had turned back around, knowing it was getting dark, and soon it’d be time to meet the other Betas. 

Now though, Derek almost wondered if he should check in with them. He pulled out his cell phone and called Stiles, figuring that the boy was due to pick up Scott before heading over to the Hale house. After a few rings, Stiles picked up, saying instantly, “Dude, we are on our way. Scott had to close up.”

“Good to know.” Derek muttered softly before he warned, “Be careful. I caught the Werewolf Alpha’s scent a few hours ago near the perimeter of the Preserve. I followed it down the road a ways until it got lost heading into town. Keep your eyes and senses open.” 

“Yea, ok, cool beans.” Stiles said back before he muttered a shortened version to Scott, since the other boy probably hadn’t been able to hear him due to the noise of the Jeep.

Scott cursed softly and Stiles sighed deeply as if annoyed, which made Derek want to smile in amusement. However, his amusement didn’t last, especially when Stiles told him hesitantly, “The rogue Alpha might be making other Betas. Look, don’t freak out, but I met one at work tonight. I will tell you all about it when we get there. We are about five minutes out.”

Derek growled for one long minute before forcibly calming himself down. Not being able to keep back the sarcasm, Derek said, “Now why does that not surprise me?” 

Stiles choked on a laugh in surprise, and though Derek’s inner wolf was totally tingling now due to hearing his mate amused, he barked out, “You think this is funny?”

“No. The whole situation is fucked.” Stiles sobered, but Derek could still hear the smile in his voice. “But, I am liking the sense of humor, badass Sourwolf.”

Derek let out a gruff, “Shut up.”

“Yea, not going to happen, buddy.” Stiles bitched.

“Stiles.”

“Well, obviously it’s still not going to happen, because I am still talking.”

_“Stiles.”_

“What?!”

“Shut up, or when you get here, I will rip your throat out, with my _teeth._ ” Derek promised in the most seductive voice he could manage.  
It worked.

Or at least he thought it worked. Stiles drew in a deep breath and muttered, “Asswolf,” before he hung up.

Derek was the one snorting in laughter this time. He couldn’t help it. His mate was so adorable when he got trounced. Feeling a bit better for the first time all day, Derek headed down the rickety stairs to the front floor, and waited for the Betas to show up.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once the two boys got to the Hale house, Derek was waiting for them. He was leaning up against the faded red front door, arms crossed over his chiseled chest, making his black button up shirt tighten deliciously around his bulging biceps. Stiles took a good look at him once they got closer to Derek, not being able to help the lusty thoughts running around, making havoc in his overactive brain. 

Seriously, how could one guy look so fucking sinful wearing just a plain black button up shirt, faded dark blue jeans, and combat boots? Again, like yesterday, Stiles noted that Derek had forgone wearing his black leather jacket, even though the Cyger could still smell the lingering scent on the older Werewolf. The dude must bathe with his leather jacket on, or at least sleep in it.

Snapping his thoughts from dangerous forbidden waters, Stiles went up the steps leading to the well weathered porch, Scott not far behind him. 

Derek surveyed his mate and the other Beta for a minute before he turned his full attention to Stiles. “You met another Beta?”

Stiles flushed slightly under Derek’s scrutiny, but nodded. Putting his hands nervously into the pockets of his black and blue hoodie, he explained, “Yea, um, he works with me. Name is Isaac Lahey. He also goes to the same school as Scott and myself, and is on the Lacrosse team. Bit of a loner really, and totally a goth boy. I totally would have texted you if I wasn’t in his presence the whole friggin time.”

Derek grunted softly, not pleased, but not overly upset.

“Now that you mention it, I think I do remember him now.” Scott mused softly. He then rubbed the back of his head in thought. “Does he have like blue spikes in his hair, even though it looks sort of weird since his hair is like actually really curly?”

“That would be the one.” Stiles confirmed, starting to bounce a bit on his feet in agitation.

Derek straightened, but then walked over to a sturdier part of the porch railing and rested his hands there, idly running his fingers over the rough splintered surface. “Did you get a sense of which Alpha it might have been that bit him?” He asked Stiles, noting that both boys were practically brimming with energy, even if it was nearing ten o’clock at night. 

Stiles huffed a sigh and shrugged, “I am not quite sure, but I am thinking it’s the Werewolf Alpha. He didn’t smell like the Cyger, and he had the whole amber glowing eyes thing going.”

“He shifted in _public_? At the pizzeria of all places?” Scott exclaimed, shocked. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“Because, it wasn’t that big of a deal. There are fake security cameras in the pizzeria to deter burglaries and robberies, but everyone who works there knows that the cameras aren’t real. Plus, there was no one in the place besides us two at the time.” Then Stiles admitted nervously, “And I might have pissed him off a bit.”

Derek sighed deeply, not really sure if he wanted to strangle his mate or find out the rest of the story. Finally, he asked, “He didn’t attack you though?”

Stiles shook his head no. “Actually, he wasn’t even aware that he was doing the glowing eyes thingy until I told him to chill out. Then he sort of mellowed out.” At Derek’s nod, Stiles continued, “He said he got bit on Monday, when he was working at the graveyard.”

“Isaac has two jobs?” Scott questioned, though he already knew the answer. He then sighed. “Wow, and I thought my life was crappy having just one part time job, being in school, and having Lacrosse."

“Yea no kidding.” Stiles rubbed his face with the back of his hand, still jittery. “He didn’t get a chance to tell me much about whom or what bit him, but he did say it was a male. And he seemed pretty confused about everything, to be honest. But, that really wasn’t the only thing I found out about him.”

Derek arched a brow at Stiles, waiting for him to let the other foot drop. Turns out he didn’t have to wait long. Stiles blurted out, “I think Isaac is being abused by his dad.”

When Scott gaped at him, and Derek straightened, looking like he was totally constipated, Stiles explained, “I smelled a whole bunch of blood coming off of him when I got to work. And he seemed really nervous about mentioning his dad. But, by the time we left work, the blood started smelling old. Like –“

“Healed wounds.” Derek finished for him. Damn. That’s just what he needed: another possible Beta to train. And to make matters worse, he would have to be extra gentle with the other boy. Derek didn’t know much about abused children situations, but there had been a friend of his a long time ago that had been abused, and often had to be handled with care whenever he was over at the Hale house to play. Granted, most humans had to be handled with care, but in this boy’s case, it was to the extreme. Despite all of that, sometimes they would find him in the bathroom crying after a game of tag when it got a bit too rough. All the Hales knew that the boy was being abused, but there wasn’t much they could do about it if the boy never talked about the abuse, or showed physical signs of it. And when Derek had finally gained the boy’s confidence to talk about it, the boy’s parents had packed up and left town with him in tow. 

Stiles nodded, and then he said, “I offered for him to come join us for training. I didn’t tell him anything about you, just that you were willing to help us. But, even though he seemed like he wanted to come, he said he couldn’t tonight. I don’t think Isaac is a bad guy, and you said so yourself that we’d need all the help we could get to go after the Alphas.”

Derek suddenly understood why his mate was basically being a total basket case around him. Stiles probably thought he’d be pissed about all of this. In truth, Derek figured he should be pretty pissed. But, it’s not like he could do much about it. And Stiles was right. They needed all the help they could get. “Relax, Stiles. I am not too pleased with all this, but it’s not the end of the world.” He reached out on instinct and rubbed the teen’s shoulder, trying to offer a bit of comfort.

Stiles let out a huge breath, letting all of the anxiety he’d been feeling go right out of him. Still, he was edgy, but that was probably due to not having his Adderall at all today. And though Stiles figured he probably was cured of his ADHD, he still was probably having withdrawal symptoms from the meds. It didn’t help that the full moon was like only two days away. Or the fact that the Cyger Alpha was still out there….

Still, the fact that Derek was taking this better than Stiles had thought he would, that was a total plus. And Stiles was NOT leaning into Derek’s touch. Nope. Not one bit.

Derek withdrew his hand reluctantly from Stiles, even though his wolf was raging inside of him, wanting to curl around his mate to offer more comfort and to keep him safe. Derek took a moment to think about what to say before he finally came to a decision. He told both boys, “If you see Isaac around at school and he wants to talk, go ahead and talk to him. He has to be willing to come to us in order for us to help him. I don’t like the thought of him being in this sort of situation this close to the full moon, or being out by himself possibly with the Alpha on the full moon, but there’s not much I can do about it right now if he is not willing to join us at this time. After the full moon, we can think of a strategy to maybe get him to be with us, or to track him so he can lead us to the Alpha. Stiles, if you are right and Isaac is being abused, we will have to deal with that at the same time. But, as of right now, you two are my top priorities.”

Stiles and Scott nodded, both figuring it was for the best right now. Both didn’t like the idea of Isaac being out of the picture for now, but they understood Derek’s reasons.

“On to a different subject. What you will be doing today, like yesterday, is finding your triggers and anchors. Anchors are the things that Weres hold onto in order to control themselves while shifted. It can be a person, or a group of people, or even an emotion that keeps you grounded, keeps you human.” Derek instructed. “But, unlike last night, I won’t have you both running alone. We will do the running first since both of you have class tomorrow. I won’t run you as hard, but during this time I want you both to concentrate on all of your senses, and at the same time I want you to think about what was it that made both of you shift without your control. Was it due to being scared, angry, or desperate? Or was it something different altogether? Like protecting yourself, or the pack. We will run for an hour.”

“Cool.” Scott and Stiles both agreed before the latter asked hesitantly, “What’s your anchor?”

Derek regarded both Betas for a bit before he said softly, “Anger.”

With that, he stripped off his shirt, and after a bit of hesitation, Scott did the same thing. Stiles still felt uncomfortable showing any sort of skin besides the minimum, especially after what happened last night, so he kept his shirt on, but took off his hoodie. As he did so, he thought about Derek’s anchor. How could anyone have anger as an anchor? Then again, Derek wasn’t like anyone he’d ever met, and plus the dude had enough bad baggage to fill a whole airport, so who was Stiles to judge? Hell, if Stiles had gone through the same thing and actually survived, he’d probably feel the same way. 

Letting out another breath, Stiles chewed on his lower lip, turning his thoughts to their new training session. The fact that Derek was actually going to run with them, and not going to have them split off by themselves, made Stiles feel much better about this training session than in the last one. He felt safer, for sure. Maybe Derek was just doing this for him, but Stiles didn’t care at this point. So, with that thought in mind, Stiles bent and retied his shoes, feeling way more confident than he had coming into this training session.

The next hour went by pretty smoothly. They didn’t run into anything supernatural, and the night was peaceful for the most part. There were still thick, foreboding rain clouds that they could see through the canopies of the tall trees, but the rain was holding off for now. Stiles reveled in the feel of the dewy air around him, following Derek’s instructions by trying to use all of his senses and at the same time trying to think of what triggered him to shift the night before. He had pretty much had a 90% guess as to what had set him off, but he wanted to think about other possibilities too.

The makeshift pack was mostly silent as they jogged through the Preserve, Derek in front, Stiles in the middle, and Scott in the back. It wasn’t that Stiles could run faster than Scott, it was more along the lines that the Werewolves were unconsciously making sure that the Werecat was protected. Maybe it was a Werewolf instinct to keep a traumatized individual of their pack within their sights. It also was reasonable to assume that since Stiles had been the one to be attacked by the Alpha Cyger, then he might be attacked again tonight.

However, thankfully that didn’t happen. And Stiles was grateful that he didn’t fall all over himself either. Perhaps he always seemed to be overly cautious when it came to his balance and footing, but it was a bad habit to break considering all of his life up until the point he’d been bitten by the Alpha Cyger, he’d been a clumsy, gangly, totally spastic human. Now, though, he was starting to realize he had to trust his instincts, and in doing so, to trust his body. His body now was more lithe, and even if he hadn’t made first line earlier that day, Stiles realized that he probably would have gotten it soon.

Once he started to trust himself, Stiles started gaining in self confidence in his body, and he calmed down. He let his instincts take over, and found himself enjoying every minute of the run. He even felt playful and managed to nudge into Derek and Scott a few times to show he thought this was awesome. Scott had huffed out a laugh, and had even shoved back a bit harder, but Stiles stayed balanced. It felt even better doing this than last night. Last night, he had been in awe of his surroundings, and he hadn’t even felt what was going on with his body that much until he was forced to hide from the Alpha Cyger. Now, though, he was reveling in his own actions and his own sense of self along with keeping in tune with his surroundings. It felt amazing.

Once they got back to the Hale house, Derek let the two other Betas rest while he talked about their run. Every once in a while Stiles or Scott would come up with a question, but otherwise listened as they calmed down. Finally, Derek asked, “Did you sense anything unusual out there tonight?”

Both boys looked at eachother in confusion before Stiles tried to confirm, “Supernaturally speaking or naturally speaking?”

Derek sighed deeply and shrugged, “Either or.”

Scott scowled a bit, thinking before he said, “The birds weren’t chirping.”

“You’re right, Scott. Now that you mention it, it almost felt like there wasn’t any noise at all besides the wind and maybe a few squirrels. I sensed a few deer nearby, but they weren’t making much noise either.” Stiles agreed, turning his attention back to Derek. “Is that because all natural creatures think we are predators of them?”

“Partly.” Derek said softly. Then he sat down on the front porch steps so he could be closer to his makeshift students. “Usually when there is one predator out in the woods, like a mountain lion, or a regular wolf, most animals know to be quiet. However, when it comes to us Weres, the only time animals are quiet is if there is more than one Were out there.”

“But, why is that?” Stiles tried to explain, “I mean, I get what you are saying, because last night the forest actually was alive with a bunch of sound when I was by myself. It wasn’t until the Cyger came by that things got quiet.”

“Maybe it’s because the forest doesn’t see one Were as a threat?” Scott assumed.

“Not exactly, but you are on the right track, Scott.” Derek then explained, “Most of the time, when a Were is out by themselves in the wild at night, they instinctively mask their scent and presence from the natural world. It’s a defense mechanism as well as a good way to hunt if you are by yourself at night. However, when more than one Were are together in the same place, they don’t mask their scent or their presence because they feel they don’t have to. Hence another reason why a Were feels better in a pack. They feel stronger, but not only that, they feel safer.”

“So, last night, were we masking our scents?” Scott asked, impressed. Stiles remembered that he had done that, by sort of zigzagging along his path in order to lose Derek during the chase, and as he thought about it, it seemed reasonable to believe that it was instinctual. Awesome!

Derek nodded. “However, the Cyger Alpha was probably too wounded to mask his scent.”

“And what about the other Alpha? Why did he leave his scent all over the place this morning and a few days back?” Scott asked.

“Because, this Alpha is odd. It’s rogue Werewolf yes, but for some strange reason, it isn’t able to control its scent right now. Sometimes it’s harder for rogue Werewolves that are not a part of a pack to have the power to cover their scent.”

“Wait, I sort of do remember trying to mask my scent by making a zigzag pattern to dispel it on instinct. But, then how did you find me?” Stiles asked, eyes confused. “Was it because you could smell the Cyger Alpha?”

Derek looked at him for a second, as if searching his eyes for something, before he sighed and looked down at the ground. Suddenly it dawned on Stiles. Stiles mused, “It’s not just that, right? It’s also because we are pack…. So, I was only masking my scent from nature, but not from the pack.”

“Yes.” Partly. But there was no way Derek was going to tell him that the main reason he could find Stiles was because of the connection between them. He didn’t want his mate to freak out about that right now, if ever.

“Plus it wasn’t like you and the Cyger Alpha were being quiet about your fighting.” Scott mumbled with a small smile.

“I have no cause to be ashamed about that.” Stiles snorted, bumping his buddy’s arm a bit.

“You shouldn’t be ashamed.” Derek agreed. 

“So, how did I mask my scent?” Scott asked, curious. “I don’t remember much about masking anything, or trying to do that…. At least nothing like Stiles did.”

“It’s instinctive. With you, Scott, you were masking it without conscious thought. But, I will teach you both how to do it at any time, even when you are with your pack. And Stiles, you won’t have to try and change your movements in order to hide your scent. It’s all about Were body chemistry, but we will have to wait until after the full moon to have enough time to do work with that. So, let’s leave that for another day.” Derek said. He then asked them, “Were you two able to figure out what some of your triggers were from last night?”

“I think I know mine.” Scott admitted. “I got really pissed that I got found even before I managed to hide.” At Derek and Stiles’ look, he added, “Like really pissed.”

“So, were you pissed at yourself or were you pissed at me for finding you?” Derek asked, a small smirk forming onto his face.

The act made Stiles nearly drool, so much so that he almost didn’t catch what Scott was saying. “Pissed at myself. And maybe at you too, because you threw me into a tree.”

“You threw him into a tree?” Stiles asked, incredulous.

Derek shrugged, still amused, “Only twice.”

“Dude, you like threw me five times!” Scott exclaimed, glowering at Derek, who was starting to chuckle.

“Correction. I threw you twice into a tree in order for you to shift. Then I threw you three other times in order to defend myself.” Derek full out grinned.

 _Holy hell, he has rabbit teeth._ Stiles thought, feeling his gut tighten alarmingly. Shit. He so needed to control himself. Putting a lid on his inner hussies, Stiles tried to concentrate on the conversation at hand and not at the adorableness that was Derek when he fucking all out _smiled._

Scott caught the scent from Stiles though, and he regarded his friend with a weird look on his face before he turned back to Derek. Suddenly he caught Derek’s scent, noting that it had changed too. His eyes widened as he finally figured out what that scent was. “OH MY GOD.” He gaped at both boys, who were now looking at him with identical expressions of confusion.

“You guys smell like you bathed in lust. And I really do NOT want to know why.” Scott blurted out before he turned bright red.

Stiles flushed and kind of laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his buzzed head, “Whoa there, Scotty. You sure that scent wasn’t like admiration or just congenial oneness with nature?” Damn it, _damn it, **damn it!**_ Wait a second. Scott had said “you guys”, did that mean…? 

“I might be new to this stuff, but I know what lust smells like.” Scott mumbled, feeling really awkward. “I should really drop this, shouldn’t I?”

Derek reached over and patted Scott’s arm, ignoring the fact that he should feel way more embarrassed than he did. Then he leaned in and whispered softly, amusement filtering into his tone, “Yea.”

Scott blushed more, and then nodded. “Ok.”

“Oh thank God.” Stiles muttered under his breath, totally forgetting about Werewolf hearing, but the other two didn’t seem to mind. His brain was racing though. If Scott smelled lust coming from Derek, that meant that Derek was aroused by something. Was Derek lusting after Stiles? Stiles balked at that thought. Maybe it was something totally different and Werewolf related? Sniffing the air, he couldn’t really catch anything different from Derek than his normal smell.

Granted, Stiles realized that he did have a low self-esteem, but even so, he figured that he had to be mistaken in thinking that Derek had any attraction towards him of all people. No, he had to stop thinking about this. His attention snapped back to the present when Derek said, “Stiles, what made you shift last night?”

Stiles blinked a few times and started nervously chewing on his bottom lip as he thought about last night. “I guess I shifted because I felt a danger to my person? I mean, I was pissed as all get out, and scared shitless, but I think it really boiled down to knowing that I was going to be physically harmed.”

Derek nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, I understand where you are coming from. However, it would have been different if Scott or I threatened you, wouldn’t it?”  
Stiles snorted. “Yea, I guess so. If Scott or you tried to threaten me with physical harm, it wouldn’t really matter much.”

“And why would that be the case?” Derek murmured delicately, knowing he was pretty much walking on egg shells with his mate. “You both never shifted during the time I was physically threatening you. The only reason why Scott shifted later was because he was pissed at himself. Partly he was pissed at me, but for the most part he was angry at himself. But, is that the true reason?”

Stiles and Scott regarded one another for a few minutes, trying to figure out reasons. Finally Scott admitted, “I guess I was pissed at myself for not being able to protect myself. If I couldn’t protect myself, I couldn’t protect my pack.”

Derek nodded. “Exactly. Stiles?”

Stiles took a few deep breaths, trying to get his words right before finally saying, “I never felt fear during the time you were threatening us because I KNEW you wouldn’t hurt us. Or hurt us badly. Because, you are pack. I shifted to protect myself from the Cyger, because I KNEW he was going to hurt me intentionally, probably even kill me if I didn’t submit.”

“But, you didn’t submit, did you Stiles?” Derek asked softly, reaching over to put a calming hand on his mate’s knee. Stiles stopped bouncing it up and down, probably not even realizing that he’d been doing it in the first place. 

“No, I didn’t.” Stiles said softly, and then after a moment of digesting it, he smiled. “No, I didn’t.” He repeated, feeling a bit more confident.

“That’s because we are pack. Your Cyger may be tied to the Cyger Alpha, but it will NOT submit to force. Cygers and Werewolves have several things in common with one another, I have found.” Derek, stood and went inside the house. When he returned, he had a folder with him. He handed it over to Stiles. “I managed to roughly decipher all of the info we have on Cygers. It turns out that solitary Alpha Cygers only create a harem when it feels like it’s there last choice at survival. Cygers are very rare because they combine two species together. Two species of animals that should never be able to procreate with one another, but they do.”  
He watched Stiles open up the folder, fingering through some of the pages of the packet Derek had made. Scott peered over his friend’s shoulder to look too. Still, Stiles kept a firm ear on what Derek was talking about. “Wolf and Cat.” Stiles assumed, looking up at Derek inquisitively.

“Yes.” Derek sat back down and commented, “Despite what you might think, Stiles, wolves and cats get along far better than dogs and cats. I am not sure why, but that’s the way it goes. We usually don’t bother with cats because they choose to be isolated in their own prides, just like Werewolves have their own packs. Werecats, no matter what type, call their ‘packs’ prides, we are not sure why. Unlike normal Tigers and domesticated cats, Werecats of the Cyger type can go either one or two ways. They can be solitary, but only if they are Alpha males. Or a Cyger can be in a pride. Most of the time Cygers are in a pride because of the wolf part of them. If a Cyger is solitary, it is because they chose to. Unlike Werewolves, solitary Cygers have no change in status, since they really don’t gain power from being inside a pack unless they are mated. With Werewolves, a loner, or an outcast is deemed Omega status because they have low power. Alphas can be Omegas, and so can Beta Werewolves.”

He then said, “Regardless, this Cyger Alpha may be desperate, but he’s going about this all wrong. If you hadn’t already been in a pack with us, and the Cyger had approached you as a human and possibly courted you, you might have been keener in the option of joining his harem, correct?"

Stiles arched a brow at that, but then shrugged. “No, not really. The thought of male pregnancy sort of scares me, but I get your point. I would have been more susceptible to being in his pride.”

“Exactly.” Then he looked towards Scott. “This is another reason why I think the Alpha Werewolf is rogue as well. He is desperate for a pack, yes, but he bit you without your consent. Both Alphas did, which is usually against both Cyger and Werewolf law. The bite is meant to be a gift, but only if the chosen human is amiable to the bite. Because both Alphas bit you both without your consent, it’s only natural for your ties to them are weak at best. Still, you both will have to be careful. Scott, the Alpha that bit you hasn’t made contact with you right?”

“Um, no they haven’t. At least I don’t think they have.” Scott scratched his head. “I have been having weird dreams lately, of being out in the woods, but nothing else."

Derek nodded slowly, mulling over that information. “The dreams might be part of your weak tie with the Alpha. However, the Alpha is probably going to try to contact you soon. It’s going to want to strengthen the bond it has with you. So, when that happens, and you become aware of what is happening, let me know about it as soon as possible. I said I wanted you and Stiles to be closer to one another, and I still want that. Unfortunately, you two won’t be able to be around each other all the time. You have different classes sometimes at school. You have different jobs. Different errands to make. I will do all I can to be available to help you both out, but I can’t be there all the time. So, if one of your Alpha’s comes to try and contact you, let me know and I will get there as soon as I can.”

Both boys agreed to that. After about another hour of talking about triggers and anchors, Derek had them try to shift into their Beta forms and back again. Scott was getting the hang of it by the time they left to go home, but Stiles was still having issues with his Beta form. Once he got the shifting part down, it was really hard to shift BACK. Derek helped him with it by rubbing his back and gently crooning. Stiles ended up frustrated, but figured he’d get a hang of it eventually.

One time though, Derek was standing behind Stiles as the boy tried to calm down enough to shift back into human form, but instead of rubbing his back, the Werewolf had leaned in and nuzzled his neck. The nuzzle caused Stiles to react naturally, and before he knew it, he was turning around and hugging the other male, nuzzling back. Thank God Scott was too busy running to the bushes to take a leak to notice. Derek huffed a breath onto Stiles’ skin, savoring in the boy’s scent. 

Derek knew he shouldn’t be doing this, but it was incredibly hard to resist, especially when both of them were in their Beta forms. Derek growled softly and absently licked Stiles’ skin where his collarbone met his neck. Stiles let out a rugged moan, muttering under his breath, “Damn, if this is scenting, I so am digging it.” Stiles knew he shouldn’t be this touchy feely after what happened the day before with the Cyger, but this felt right. This was totally consensual, and Stiles felt that it was alright to be scented by a pack member. It also helped that Derek smelled so mouthwatering. 

Derek let out a soft chuckle before withdrawing. Just in time too, for Scott came back from the bushes looking a bit better now that he didn’t have a full bladder. “Hey Stiles, you ready to get going?”

Stiles blushed and awkwardly said, “Yea, I’d better get home soon.” He then turned and followed Scott back to his jeep, feeling his heart racing like crazy. He so was going to have Stiles time when he got home. And he knew exactly who was going to be the main focus of his fantasies.

Scott got in with him and took one whiff before saying, “DUDE!”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I can help it.”

“Yea, but STILL. Derek’s like old.” Scott exclaimed.

“No, he’s not. He’s twenty two. That’s only like six years older than us.” Stiles objected. When Scott pouted at him, he grunted, “Look, it’s not like it’s going to come to fruition. So, just let me suffer in silence ok?”

Scott mumbled, “I thought you didn’t trust him.”

“Yea well, that was how I felt until after what happened last night. He didn’t have to calm me down and take care of me, but he DID.” Stiles rubbed his head tiredly as he started driving. “Besides, it’s not like I can help it. I mean, dude, the man’s HOT.”

“Uh huh.” Scott sighed.

“And sexy.”

“Right.”

“And he smells so delicious, I just want to taste –“

“OK STILES ENOUGH.” Scott spastically waved his hands around in his seat. “I so do NOT want to hear about your fantasies, ok?”

Stiles grinned evilly, but relented. He felt way better now that at least Scott wasn’t freaking out more about this. And even though Stiles figured that he hadn’t lied when telling his buddy that this thing with Derek would never happen, he hadn’t been actually telling the whole truth either. Absently reaching up to rub the spot where Derek licked his neck, Stiles’ grin turned into a more goofy, blissed out smile.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek watched the teens go and sighed deeply. What the hell was he thinking, scenting Stiles like that? But, even though he balked at the thought of going further with Stiles, he couldn’t help knowing that his wolf needed to mark his mate. Scenting was a more tame way to mark his mate than the alternative. Plus, if Derek’s wolf stuck his claim on Stiles a bit more, maybe it would get the Cyger Alpha to back off.

Snorting at that unlikely thought, Derek headed to his Camaro.

Still, the feel of Stiles’ skin under his tongue permeated his mind, and for once in a long time, Derek felt content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do not be discouraged if you like mpreg. Stiles is reacting basically like most male teenagers if they ever found out they, themselves could birth a child. So, though he is kind of squeamish right now, he might not be opposed to it later on (like much later on) if the option for it does come up. I still haven't decided if I will have mpreg in this fic, but there is a big possibility it will happen. If it does, it will be after Stiles gets done with college. So, yea, much farther down the road. Next chap will be up on October 13.


	4. Chapter 4: A Note, A Kiss, and A New Apartment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Not really.” Stiles mumbled, before pulling away from Derek’s chest and looking into his gorgeous hazel eyes. God, how could one man be so fucking beautiful? Stiles then blurted out, “I’d rather you kiss me.”
> 
> Stiles saw Derek’s eyes narrow slightly, and suddenly he realized what he’d just said. “Oh, GOD, don’t listen to me! I’m sorry, this is going all so fast, and I just –mpfh.” 
> 
> Stiles was cut off by Derek’s mouth on his own. The boy let out a rumbling keen, sounding like a cross between a wrecked cat growl and a dog whine. It turned Derek on like no other, and the Werewolf suddenly had the boy up against his chest as he kissed the living daylights out of him. Some part of Derek wanted to slow down and to be gentle, but the wolf inside of him wanted nothing more than to take, to mate, to claim what was his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for your kind comments and kudos. It's amazing to see how many peeps like this fice o_o you guys rock! Hope you enjoy this chapter ;)

**Chapter 4: A Note, A Kiss, and A New Apartment**

The next morning, a half hour before he was going to get up, had Stiles having his personal time with his hand and his dick. He would have jerked off the night before if it hadn’t been for the fact that Stiles still had homework to do, and plus the print off of Derek’s family bestiary info on Cygers drew his attention like no other. After reading the few pages Derek had been able to roughly translate, Stiles couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Granted, the history of the Cygers was very complex detail oriented, and fascinating to Stiles, but as for actual info on pride habits, hierarchy, etc, things were quite limited. Derek had been right about Cygers being an oddity, even to Werewolves.

Cygers were supposed to be creatures that originated from both Egypt and Asia. The tiger part being from Asia, and the wolf part from Egypt. In fact, it was believed in some myths that the wolf part of the Cyger was actually more of a jackal type beast resembling the jackal headed god Anubis. So, though Stiles had looked at Egypt as a possible origin for his species, he was off only by a god or two. Anubis was a god of the underworld. Though Stiles was fascinated and wanted to research that particular god, he was bone tired and knew that he had to finish up reading the info and doing his homework before he crashed for the night. So, he read on, taking in the fact that the cat part of him was supposedly descended from Siberian Tigers, but no one knew how or why these particular ancient tigers started shifting into human forms. Either way it went, the Bestiary did point out that it was speculated that both the jackal-wolf shifters and tiger shifters had started to mingle, being driven from both of their lands to the lands of Macedon in Ancient Greece. It wasn’t until Alexander the Great started expanding his lands and forces that the jackal-wolf shifters and the tiger shifters started bonding. 

It was during his reign that Alexander ‘discovered’ the fact that there were shape shifters in his lands, and instead of killing them all off, thinking they were nothing but beasts, he welcomed each shifter into his ranks, promising security and protection from hunters if they helped him conquer the world. However, what Alexander didn’t expect was for both species to start cohabiting more and becoming incredibly bonded. It wasn’t until twin boys were born from a tiger mother that had the likeness of both their tiger mother and jackal-wolf father that Alexander realized things were getting out of hand. 

The Bestiary speculated that Alexander was afraid of the bonding between the two species, thinking that if they became increasingly so, then there might be an uprising, undermining his rule. So, he had both species hunted down and killed, even murdering his own soldiers. A few couples survived with their young, and fled to the Celtic Tribes territories of which they stayed in relative peace for a thousand years. Because of the harsh weather during the winters, Cygers began to evolve, having more of a likeness of their tiger roots than their jackal-wolf roots. They still kept the ears and the tail of wolves, and mostly their pack mentality (though they called it pride mentality), but for the rest of their bodies, and psyche, the likeness of the tiger prevailed, even in Betas and Omegas. 

Through process of migration, wars, and that sort of thing, the first Cygers to come to the US were on the same boats as the Werewolves during Columbus’ time. With the promise of a new future, wild woods, and fair game, it was hard not to see the appeal. More Cygers came during the late 1700’s. 

Unfortunately, when you have Cygers and any other type of Were-creature migrating to other areas, you also have Hunters following. Because Cygers were seen as a rarity, even to the normal Were-creature hunter, they were sought out and killed for their pelts, no matter if it were an Omega, Beta, or Alpha they hunted. The Bestiary stated that Cygers were now almost extinct, and the last one that was spotted near Beacon Hills was by Talia Hale, Derek’s mother, over twenty years ago.

Stiles had rubbed his head about that, but nothing more talked about who she encountered and what they discussed, if about anything at all. As for info on the actual Cyger shifters, like Stiles had expected, there hadn’t been much to read. Derek was right about the fact that Cygers and Werewolves were similar, and not just in genetic roots. The Cygers’ prides were made up of one Alpha or an Alpha pair, and four to ten Betas, and maybe a couple of Omegas. 

One thing that surprised Stiles was that Omegas were deemed as the breeding Cygers, and were treated with care and protectiveness. Betas were usually the ones that went on hunts or stayed behind to guard the Omegas, and the Alpha oversaw everything. However, unlike Werewolf packs, who think of Omegas as usually scape goats, outcasts and were treated as such, Omegas in Cyger prides were highly respected because they could breed easier than Betas. Beta males and females both could whelp cubs, but it was harder for them to do so, since their body structure was slightly different than Omegas. Both males and females usually bred during their heat cycles, which happened bi-annually, one small rut in the spring that lasted only a week, and a longer rut in the beginning of winter, which lasted two weeks. Stiles sort of got weirded out about that fact, but he was frankly too tired to actually process that he would have two heats. There was not much info on what happened to a Cyger during heats, which sucked, but oh well. All Cyger ranks had heats, though as mentioned before, Omegas tended to breed better. 

Basically Cyger Omegas, regardless of sex, were treated like spoiled prince and princesses. They also usually had one mate, either an Alpha or what was called as a First Beta, a Beta that was deemed as a second only under the command of the Alpha, but like with Werewolf packs, Cyger prides took care of their young equally. Alpha Cygers usually could have up to three mates, including a First Beta or an Omega.

No one knew why some Alphas went solitary. The only theory that anyone came up with was the fact that these particular Alphas took after their Tiger ancestors more than they took after their Wolf-Jackal ancestors. Their instincts to be alone were only overridden by the need to procreate. 

Other than being creeped out that Stiles could now birth a cub if he wanted to, (which of course, like not for quite a while – he was just sixteen for goodness sakes!) Stiles figured it was all pretty fascinating. Nothing much else was written besides what Stiles had already figured out, and what Derek had told him at training, the boy had sighed and got deep into his homework.

By the time the homework was done, it was three in the morning, and he was barely keeping his eyes open. So, yea, no Stiles time.

Still, now that he was gently stroking his cock, Stiles figured three hours of sleep was better than nothing. He actually hadn’t had any nightmares during that time. True, it’d probably been because he’d been exhausted, but it was a nice reprieve. And now, Stiles had Derek on his mind. The memory of the way Derek had licked him, had scented him, god, and how the guy had smelled the night before was intoxicating. How could someone smell so good after running in the woods for a whole hour? Stiles let out a soft whimper, pulling a little harder on his cock as he closed his eyes and imagined Derek – the feel of his skin, the scratchiness of his stubble, the feel of his hands on his back. 

Stiles let out a gasp as he imagined Derek touching him like this with those lightly calloused hands, putting his finger over his slit, leaning in to taste him with that sinful mouth of his.

Stiles reached up and bit his fist as he came hard all over his other hand and his stomach. 

_Damn._ As Stiles came back down to Earth, breathing heavily, he whispered, “Fuck. I am so screwed."

He had it bad.

He knew it.

And Stiles couldn’t do much about it.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a few more minutes, resting in post-Stiles-time bliss, Stiles got up and took a shower, wishing for the hundredth time he didn’t have to go to school today. Yea, it was Thursday, as in S.H.I.T. - Sorry Honey It’s Thursday - and that much closer to T.G.I.F., but Stiles was feeling agitated. Well, more agitated than he normally felt after masturbating. He still could feel the warm tingle in his balls and faint twitching in his cock as he got dressed, but that wasn’t anything new.

Stiles shuffled downstairs and noticed that he had managed to go through a whole twenty four hours without taking Adderall, and not having issues. True, Stiles had done a few experiments when he’d been younger, trying to see if he could wean himself off of the stuff, and had managed to go a whole week before he nearly rammed his face into the nearest wall like a house-elf, and figured there was no way in hell’s outhouse he was doing that again. But, that was before he got bitten. That was before he realized he was now a Cyger.

With a huge smile on his face, Stiles poured some cereal and milk into a bowl, before noting that his dad wasn’t at home. Wrinkling up his nose slightly in thought, Stiles looked around to see if his dad had even come home last night. He sniffed the air and sighed deeply. Nope. His dad hadn’t even come home. Stiles pulled out his phone and noticed that there was a text from his dad, stating that he’d be staying longer than he’d thought and would be home by lunch.

Figures.

Oh well.

What can you do when your dad’s the Sheriff?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Stiles got to school, he noticed that Scott looked like death had warmed over. Putting his pack onto his back and taking up his Lacrosse stick, Stiles walked over to where Scott was locking up his bike. “Hey dude, everything ok?”

Scott sighed and shook his head, looking like a kicked puppy.

“Oh ok, tell Batman what happened.” Stiles wrapped an arm around his buddy and leaned in to scent him absently.

Scott gave Stiles a strange look at his actions, but leaned in for a sniff too. Then he grunted, “Sometimes you amaze me dude.” 

“Of course I do! I am awesomeness.” Stiles fist pumped the air before he dropped his arm from his buddy. “Ok, so what happened?”

“You know I’ve been having those dreams the last few days? About being in the woods?” Scott asked, as they moved towards the school.

“Yea, so you had another one?” Stiles asked, curious.

Scott shook his head no. “Well, I thought I was dreaming, but then I woke up wearing NOTHING but my BOXERS in the woods. I had NO fucking clue where I was, and I didn’t have my cell phone.”

“Oh.” Stiles blinked, wide honey eyes staring incredulously at his friend.

“I don’t know what happened, but that’s not the worst part!” Scott said as they reached his locker. He leaned in and whispered, “I think the Werewolf Alpha was watching me. I saw this big black blurry creature with red eyes through the fog, and suddenly I was high tailing it out of there. I was running as fast as I could, and that thing was following me the whole time.”

“Jesus.” Stiles sighed deeply, trying hard not to get upset that his buddy hadn't contacted him about this earlier. He leaned up against the lockers, and asked, “Did you call Derek when you got home?”

“No, but I texted him. He called me instantly though, wanting full details.” Scott mumbled, then saying, “Don’t laugh but I managed to lose the Alpha by jumping into someone’s pool.”

Stiles snorted, but then covered his face to hide his smile. At least Scott contacted Derek. When Scott growled at him, he patted his buddy on the back, “At least you are in one piece. And you did lose him. So, that’s a good thing, right?”

Scott nodded with a small smile, “Yea.”

As they walked to their first class, Stiles asked, “So, what did Derek say?”

“About what?” Scott asked, confused.

“About your uneven chin.” Stiles said, rolling his eyes before he amended, “About the whole running through the woods with just your boxers on.”

“Oh, um.” Scott saw Allison as she came into the hallway, but then he mumbled distractedly, “He said it was the Alpha’s way of bonding with me. Or something like that.”

“Where are you going?” Stiles asked as the other boy started in the direction of Allison. Scott had the grace to look sheepish before he said, “Just a few minutes? I will be like right back.”

Stiles rolled his eyes again and huffed a sigh. So much for that. Stiles turned and went to his own locker. After opening it, he pulled out one of his text books, and narrowed his eyes in confusion as a folded note fell out onto the floor. Bending down to retrieve it, he suddenly felt like someone was watching him.

Slowly straightening, Stiles looked around at the bustling hallway before turning his attention back to the note. Unfolding it, he read it silently to himself:

_My Dearest Ryzhard,_

_Though you have disobeyed me once, I will try again. But, after the full moon. I know it will be your first. I also know you have those two wolves helping you get through it, of which I am most thankful. However, they are not connected to you like I am. They are not your pride. They do not know you like I do. I bit you for a reason. The next time we meet, you will submit, or your friends and family will die. I would like to have you broken in by your first heat._

_Do not disobey me again. Your friends and family’s lives are at stake._

_-Alpha G._

Stiles’ hand shook as he reread the letter. But, he wasn’t cowed. Instead, he was angry. _Infuriated._ He needed Scott right now. Where was Scott? The boy looked around, trying to keep his breathing under control, knowing he was about to shift in the middle of the High School hallway. He noted Scott was still across the hall talking with Allison. Shivering, Stiles tried to walk past the other bustling students to get to him, and managed to find himself flat on his back. Someone had shoved him pretty hard. Looking up he noted Jackson was laughing at him, saying something mean probably by his tone of voice. But, Stiles couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. It was all a blur. 

Stiles breathed in deeply, and backed himself up against a locker, not caring that Jackson kicked his foot a bit as he went by, jeering with his friends. Stiles looked again at the note in his hand and crumpled it, before he noticed that his claws were coming out. Shit, did that mean his eyes were glowing too? His heart rate racing faster than ever, Stiles whimpered and tried hard to calm down.

“Stiles.” A comforting voice teased his ears.

Vaguely he looked over and noticed a familiar set of boots standing next to his knee. Looking up as the man offered a hand, Stiles gulped in a breath and took it. Derek helped hoist his mate up, looking him over for any sign of injury. Finding none, Derek leaned in and murmured, “What happened?”

Not being able to speak, Stiles handed the note to Derek. Derek narrowed his eyes and took it, but he didn’t read it. Instead, he whispered gently, “Follow me.”

When Stiles looked over at Scott, who was still oblivious and talking with Allison, Derek noticed and tugged on his hand. “I think he’ll be fine for a few minutes.” Derek grunted in slight amused exasperation.

If Stiles still wasn’t totally shaking with rage, he’d probably laugh at the tone. Since Scott was obviously occupied, and not under threat, he numbly let Derek lead him to an empty classroom. Derek closed the door and sat down on the hard floor, pulling Stiles down with him. Stiles shivered as he sat stiffly in Derek’s lap, but then slowly relaxed as Derek took off his pack and started rubbing his back soothingly.

Stiles leaned into his touch and took a few deep breaths, breathing in Derek’s scent. Something deep within him calmed, and slowly he got control of his inner beast. After a few more minutes, Stiles sighed softly and murmured, “He’s fucking with me, I know it.”

Derek grunted softly before he adjusted Stiles a bit so he could read the crumpled up note. He read it a few times. The first time he read it, only shock registered in his mind. By the end of the second time Derek read the note, he was fucking _growling._ How dare that bastard suggest that Stiles was some random whore! He growled even more, letting his fingers turn into claws.

Derek was then reminded that Stiles was in his arms, safe and sound. Stiles turned in his arms, reacting to his distress. And soon Stiles was straddling the Werewolf’s hips, burying his nose into Derek’s neck to breathe in his scent. Stiles nuzzled Derek’s neck and wrapped his arms up around the other man’s shoulders, offering comfort.

How ironic. Here, Derek had pulled his mate into this empty classroom to help calm him down, and now it was Stiles trying to calm HIM down. Regardless of all that, Derek returned the nuzzle after a moment, breathing in Stiles’ spicy scent, feeling his inner wolf settle when it was satisfied that his mate was unharmed and not as upset. 

Still, that Cyger Alpha was going to be a problem.

And Derek was going to deal with that problem efficiently. Stiles was _HIS._ Not Alpha G’s, or whatever this poor excuse of an Alpha called himself. Not really realizing that he was licking and mock biting Stiles’ shoulder, nose pushing the fabric of his shirt out of the way to get to actual skin, he was brought out of his thoughts when his mate let out a low keen, baring his neck more to the Werewolf.

 _Damn._ Derek pulled back from his intense marking session and rested his head on the door of the classroom. Stiles was still nuzzling his neck, but he was also mumbling something unintelligible. Finally, Derek caught a few sentences and noticed that the boy was saying in a mantra, “Don’t freak out. Please, Derek don’t freak out. Don’t freak out. I am totally fine with this.”

Derek snorted slightly and sighed, reaching up to rub the kid’s back, trying to figure out how things had got so unbelievably out of hand. His life was one shit fest after another.

But, he figured Stiles was totally worth it all.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a little bit, Stiles’ phone buzzed, causing the boy to pull slightly away from Derek to get it, though he stayed straddling the Werewolf. Hey, he was comfy! And Derek had calmed down from the small meltdown after littering his neck with hickeys, and the Werewolf wasn’t complaining at all about this, so that was a good sign! Stiles pulled up his phone and let out a sigh of annoyance.

He was late for Chemistry, and Scott had finally texted him to not only to let him in on that fact, but also to say that he was sorry and was worried. 

“Cub.” Derek muttered after Stiles showed him the text.

“So nice to know that he cares.” Stiles added with an annoyed but affectionate huff. 

Derek gave into temptation and started nuzzling Stiles’ neck again, this time paying attention to what he was doing. Stiles leaned into his attentions and even let out a soft, relaxed sigh of contentment. “Feeling better now?” Derek asked after a moment, pulling back to look Stiles in the eyes.

Stiles flitted his gaze to Derek’s mouth and unconsciously licked his lips. Derek caught the act and felt his lust rise. Fuck.

“Yea.” Stiles mumbled distractedly, still looking at Derek’s lips. 

When Derek let out a soft whimper of torture, Stiles realized what he had been doing, and his eyes broke away sharply. He buried his face into Derek’s chest and let out a ragged, mournful breath. “This sucks.”

Derek rumbled out a hoarse chuckle before he grunted out, “Yes, yes it does.”

“You aren’t going to give me that whole, ‘your underage, we only met Monday, yadda yadda’ crap, are you?” Stiles asked, his voice still muffled by Derek’s chest.

“Do you want me to?” Derek asked, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Unconsciously, Derek started to rub the teen’s back, trying to offer comfort, though he knew they should really be getting up and splitting. Stiles had to go to class, and Derek had to call his landlady in New York, along with patrolling the Preserve. But, though awkward as this conversation was, Derek didn’t seem to mind it. Yes, both Stiles and Derek were sexually frustrated. Yes, both were on their way to a wild bad romance, pun intended. Yes, Derek still viewed that Stiles was too young for this. And to be even thinking about this only a few days after Stiles had been almost raped? This was incredibly insensitive of him to do this to his mate.

But, right now he really didn’t care.

Stiles was in his arms, safe and breathing. Stiles was horny, but Derek remembered himself at that age and knew that there hadn’t really been a time when he hadn’t been horny either. And his mate was way more mature than he’d ever been at that age. 

“Not really.” Stiles mumbled, before pulling away from Derek’s chest and looking into his gorgeous hazel eyes. God, how could one man be so fucking beautiful? Stiles then blurted out, “I’d rather you kiss me.”

Stiles saw Derek’s eyes narrow slightly, and suddenly he realized what he’d just said. “Oh, GOD, don’t listen to me! I’m sorry, this is going all so fast, and I just –mpfh.” 

Stiles was cut off by Derek’s mouth on his own. The boy let out a rumbling keen, sounding like a cross between a wrecked cat growl and a dog whine. It turned Derek on like no other, and the Werewolf suddenly had the boy up against his chest as he kissed the living daylights out of him. Some part of Derek wanted to slow down and to be gentle, but the wolf inside of him wanted nothing more than to take, to mate, to claim what was his.

Stiles let out a breathy moan as Derek’s tongue licked into his mouth, sending his senses running for cover. Damn, could the Werewolf kiss! Stiles, having pretty much a nonexistent sex life or romance life in general, wasn’t sure what to do with his own tongue. But, then Derek flitted his tongue into Stiles’ mouth and started enticing the boy’s to play. After a few seconds, Stiles tentatively kissed back, his tongue mingling with Derek’s.

Derek let out a low, pleased, rumbling growl, reaching up to hold Stiles’ nape to make his mouth easier access. Derek continued to entice Stiles’ tongue, and finally the Cyger got enough confidence to press his tongue into the Werewolf’s mouth. Derek bit down slightly on that questing tongue, his fangs lengthening a bit as his wolf pushed itself to the forefront of his mind. Derek let it play for a bit, but still kept it from taking complete control. He didn’t want to hurt Stiles.

Stiles finally broke away and let in deep, ragged, tortured breaths. “Wow.” He whispered, and Derek couldn’t help the small, amused and smug smile that crept up onto his face.

“Feel better?” Derek asked again, only this time he pointedly raised his eyebrows.

Stiles blushed, but grinned stupidly. “Much.”

“Good, then up.” The Werewolf uttered, reaching down to pat Stiles’ ass, not being able to help it.

Stiles let out a small meep, but then managed to get himself up off of Derek, though he pouted the entire way. Still, he sobered as Derek straightened and for a moment, thinking that there would be an awkwardness between them, but the Werewolf saved him from it. The wolf pulled Stiles to him in an affectionate hug, and ruffled his hair before saying, “Let me know if anything else happens.”

He then put the note from Alpha G into his pocket, saying softly, “I will look into this. For now, though, make sure Scott sticks close to you today, even if you get pulled over to see his girlfriend. I don’t want you two parted much if you can help it.”

Stiles nodded, though he asked, “Does that also mean in the bathroom?”

Derek swatted Stiles’ ass, perhaps harder than necessary, but the boy didn’t seem to mind, since he let out a yelp and swatted the Werewolf on the shoulder just as hard. “I was just joking. Sheez.” The boy then sobered. “I guess we’ll see you after practice? Unless you want to come and watch?”

Derek picked up Stiles’ backpack and handed it to him. “I’ll see what I can do.” 

Both boys froze when their hands touched at the exchange. And then Stiles suddenly growled, “Fuck it,” and tackled Derek, kissing him hard on the lips. The older man chuckled and leaned into the kiss. 

Finally, he pulled away and gave the boy a quick nuzzle before leaving. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Stiles shuffled into English, he got glomped so hard by his best friend that he nearly fell over into Miss Crawley’s pet bird Snickers’ cage. The parrot let out a squawk and flapped his wings in agitation, uttering, “Watch it, watch it.”

Sometimes Stiles could have sworn that bird was part human. He knew how to enact conversations, and though it was fascinating to talk to him sometimes, it wasn’t all that fun having Snickers repeat everything Miss Crawley said. 

“Dude, I am ok! I found a note that You-Know-Who-That-Bit-Me in my locker and it freaked me out, but Derek came by and helped me calm down.” Stiles patted his buddy on the back, noting that they were getting some odd looks from their classmates. 

Scott tightened his hold on Stiles for a moment before he let go, saying with wide eyes, “It totally freaked me out when suddenly you were there one minute and the next minute you were gone! I smelled Derek nearby, so I calmed down a bit, but then you didn’t show up to class, and I got even more worried!”

“Scotty, boy, maybe we should tone it down a bit? And like find our seats.” Stiles offered a small placating smile before Scott blushed and nodded in embarrassment. He probably figured out what he’d been doing in public and the ramifications of what it looked like to some peeps. Stiles felt warmed that his buddy cared. Sometimes it was hard to remember that other people did care about him. Maybe it was something to do with his self esteem? Either way it went, it was nice at times for Stiles to find out he was wanted.

As both got into their seats, Isaac leaned back to give them both a wary look. Right, Isaac wasn’t just on the Lacrosse team. He also had a few classes with Stiles and Scott. “You ok, Isaac, you look a bit pale?” Stiles asked, just to be nice. Also, he really did know that the pack could totally use another Beta, so it’d be best to be nice, and to try and get on the boy’s good side.

Isaac flushed slightly but then shrugged, “I’m fine.” Total lie.

“How about you? You look like you’ve been in a fight.” Isaac mentioned, nodding to Stile’s neck.

Oops.

Scott, for the first time since seeing Stiles in the room openly gaped at his buddy. Stiles blushed slightly and shrugged, “Yea, Jackson shoved me a bit too hard today.” Which was true. He had fallen on his back earlier from it, but no one needed to know that.

“That dickhead.” Scott grumbled, though he sniffed in Stiles’ direction curiously. His eyebrows shot up comically when he started piecing two and two together. 

Stiles flushed more and willed everyone to just drop it. Mentally he wondered why Derek’s hickeys hadn’t healed yet. Cygers were supposed to have fast healing powers too. He’d have to research a bit when he got home. Right now, he pulled his plaid flannel shirt up a bit more to hide the marks. Not that he really wanted to hide them. Some part of Stiles wanted to keep them on display, to let the world know that he was taken, but the more rational part of himself knew that it’d be best to hide the hickeys for now. At least until he was eighteen. He didn’t want any rumors to go back to his dad.

Scott and Isaac were still shooting glances in Stiles’ direction, but they were quiet. Stiles’ never had been so happy to see their teacher walk in in his life. Only, this wasn’t their teacher. Apparently Miss Crawley was out sick today, so a Mrs. Argent was going to be teaching today. Why did that last name sound so familiar? He looked her over and noted that nothing really was familiar about her. She had red, short hair, green eyes, pale complexion, and great style. 

He then heard his buddy’s heart start to race. Looking over at Scott, he arched a brow when the other boy paled as he looked at the new sub. “What’s wrong?”  
Stiles asked softly.

Scott whispered back, “That’s Allison’s mom.”

Oh.

“Is that going to be a problem?” Stiles asked, curious.

“Um, not really. Just nervous. Never met the parents before. Do you think they’ll like me?” Scott asked, before everyone shut up as class started.

Still, seeing Scott’s puppy look, Stiles smiled and patted his friend on the arm. “Sure, buddy. There’s not much to not like about you.”

Scott still looked uneasy, but as the time went by, he slowly relaxed. Stiles figured he’d feel the same way if he was dating a hot girl and never met the parents yet. Then again, as he studied Mrs. Argent, he noted the hard glint in her eyes whenever she thought no one was watching. This woman had a set of balls on her.

That was for sure.

He hoped that Scott never pissed her off.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek sniffed the air as he got out of his Camaro, shutting the car door with a soft thud. This place…. It would be a nice place to call his den. He didn’t want to call it a home yet, because even if he had a new pack to look after now, he wasn’t sure it’d be stable once everything was over. The Alphas were still out there, possibly making more Betas, or killing other people. But, this would do for now.

He met up with the landlady and gave her a (hopefully) winning smile. She was older, probably in her sixties, and reminded him of his old grandma Hale before she passed away. Miss Bernard was a tough old crow, but she seemed to be charmed and relaxed after she started leading him inside the apartment complex. The apartment Derek had basically fallen in love with (ha) was a flat/loft on the top floor of the oldest part of the building. No one lived below it, for the landlady had made that place up for storage only. It was spacy enough for him to not feel claustrophobic, had huge windows stretching up past the loft into a high ceiling. There was a huge hole in a brick wall near the center of the apartment, but it was clean and slightly musty. No one had lived here in years.

It was perfect.

“I was going to tear down that wall rather than have it replaced,” Miss Bernard was saying, “But I really don’t have the time or the money for it. That’s the only thing that seems to be in need of repair. The foundation is sound and the loft is good and cozy. The bathroom might need a bit of cleaning, but with your strong back, you should have no problem with that.”

“It’s perfect.” Derek gave the woman a genuine smile. “I might have a few friends coming by at odd hours of the night, since I work odd hours. Is that going to be a problem?”

The woman looked him up and down and shrugged, saying, “As long as they are good people, I don’t mind. Besides, you are taking this apartment off my hands, so it’s really a blessing to have you here. As long as you pay your rent on time, and don’t bring any riffraff, you and me should get along fine.”

Derek nodded, “Thank you again for letting me get it on such short notice. I know it was going to be available in two weeks, but I hate staying in hotels for longer than necessary.”

“I know what you mean by that. Besides, like I said, you are actually doing me a favor.” Miss Bernard then instructed, “Come by tomorrow and I will give you your key.”

“Any words of wisdom about my neighbors?” Derek asked, curious as they walked out.

“You have one to the right and to the left of you. The one on the right is a single mother who works nights and has a teenaged daughter with epilepsy. But, don’t let that weakness fool you. She’s been trained on martial arts since she was a small tyke. If anything he did good in his life, that father of hers made her take lessons to protect herself. The one on the left is a nice, quiet family that works hard, and has a boy about the same age as the girl I told you about. Those two are close, have been since the boy’s family moved in a few years ago. Both are good families with good kids, so you shouldn’t have any trouble with your neighbors.” Miss Bernard smiled, not minding giving out what she seemed to be harmless information. 

“Do both kids go to Beacon Hills?” Derek asked, still curious. He wondered if Stiles and Scott knew these two kids.

“Yes, they do in fact. Why do you want to know?” Miss Bernard asked, arching a brow.

Derek shrugged, saying, “Two of my friends go there. I was just curious if they have met.”

“Oh, well then that’s fine. Not sure if Erica and Boyd know the two friends you have, but they might.” The lady said.

As Derek turned to leave, he shook the woman’s hand and said, “I’ll have to ask them the next time I see them. Thank you again for everything.”

“No problem.” The lady said, though Derek didn’t miss the hard glint in her eyes when she thought he wasn’t looking.

He’d have to be careful around the old woman, and he had a sneaky suspicion that Miss Bernard knew what he was. He didn’t feel a threat coming from her, but still, it’d best to be careful.

Derek got into his car and drove to the High School. After leaving Stiles that morning, Derek had sniffed the note from Alpha G, noting that it smelled sort of familiar, but nothing really clicked. There was nothing at least to go on, unless he was in the presence of the Alpha, and so far he hadn’t scented it anywhere nearby, or in the woods besides old trails of the Cyger in his Alpha form. As for the rogue Werewolf Alpha, he hadn’t caught a fresh scent since yesterday. Maybe both Alphas were gearing up for the full moon tomorrow?

Either way it went, Derek was still frustrated that he couldn’t just find both Alphas. 

And then there was Stiles.

God, his mate had tested his restraint that morning, with those kisses. He knew he should be trying to take things slower, especially since Stiles was so young, but he couldn’t. For some odd reason, he couldn’t keep from responding to his mate. That first kiss had almost been his undoing, and he was proud that at least he had restrained himself enough not to Dom Stiles’ ass. Though that thought was way too tempting to think about.

Stiles had initiated the second kiss, and though it hadn’t been much of one, it still had burned fire through the Werewolf’s veins. After Derek had come back to his hotel and called his landlady, he told her that there were some things that came up and that he’d be happy to pay her extra for the hardship of getting him out of his and Laura’s leases. Thank god the woman had been owner to both apartment complexes, and had been sympathetic to his broken apologies. 

After that, Derek caught scent of Stiles on his shirt as he took it off so he could take a shower. It nearly made him whine in agony as lust had poured over him, and his wolf couldn’t be denied its pleasure any longer. Derek had shamelessly jacked off with that shirt wrapped around his cock, coming harder than ever before, his thoughts on his mate the entire time. 

Even taking a cold shower afterwards couldn’t stop the raging lust pouring into him every time he thought about Stiles (which was practically all the friggin time now). Though his wolf was now sated enough to be manageable, he still was leery of going back to the High School until he calmed down. Thus, the idea to call up the landlady for this new place, and scheduling an appointment to look at the apartment was born. 

Now, though, Derek was feeling much better and more in control of his emotions as he drove to the school. Plus, by tomorrow night, his pack was now going to have a place to stay instead of in the Preserve after the party. True, they would start out in the preserve after the party – Derek was so going to that damned party, just to be on the safe side – but then they would end up at his place. Which that meant he’d have to do some much needed furniture shopping tomorrow. The places that he and Laura stayed at in New York were already furnished, just in case they needed to make a quick getaway, but this apartment seemed better.

There were no smells of different people renting it, and it was fresh. And the new furniture would eventually smell like pack, and only pack.

And that’s all that mattered to Derek.

He had told his old landlady from New York that he’d be up there in a few weeks to collect Laura and his stuff and settle the leases once and for all, and the woman seemed to be understanding at least. She had told him to take all the time he needed. Strangely enough, she never asked about why he was conducting business about his sister’s place instead of Laura herself, but he figured she got the jist that something was wrong, and best to leave it be for now.  
Derek hadn’t had the heart to tell her about Laura’s death.

Even now, guilt and grief tried to tug at his mind as he pulled up into the High School parking lot, but he pushed it away. He’d have time to grieve after both Alphas were killed or neutralized. He was almost 100% sure now that the rogue Alpha that had bitten Scott was the same one who killed Laura. That Cyger Alpha would have to be dealt with as well.

But, not right now.

Right now, he had two new Betas to watch over. Tomorrow was going to be a long day for all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for kissing and a bit of Stiles one on one time ;) Sorry if Derek moving a bit fast offends some readers. I did mean what I said about no intercourse until after Stiles hits 17, but there will be 'other' underage sexual stuff going on. Not much besides kissing until Stiles' first and second heats. Then Derek will 'help' his mate get through it, though he won't pop Stiles' man cherry until after he's 17. Just wanted to be clear on that score. Next chap will be up on Oct 20. =)


	5. Chapter 5: Full Moon Eve and Dawning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles warily looked at the other guy, “You ok, though? Your fist looked kind of bad.”
> 
> “I’ll heal.” Derek grunted out, though secretly he was pleased that his mate was concerned about him. Still, he could sense that his mate was nervous, and even agitated. Maybe it was because it was the night before the full moon, or maybe it was because of the whole Cyger Alpha thing?
> 
> “See, nothing bad.” He said again, trying to placate his mate by showing him is fist. 
> 
> The angry cuts were healed almost completely, though there were still some shards of glass imbedded in some knuckles. Stiles nearly flipped out, causing them to almost run into someone’s parked car as he maneuvered out of the parking lot. “OH MY GOD, you like _broke_ your fist!”
> 
> “So?” Derek arched a brow, a bit confused.
> 
> **“ON JACKSON’S CAR!”** Stiles exclaimed, trying hard not to whine in sympathy pain.
> 
> “Your point?” Derek asked, putting his fist up to lick at some of the fading wounds.
> 
> “Ugh, will you stop that you heathen!” Stiles smacked at Derek’s shoulder, causing the Werewolf to look at him in shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot! Here's another chappie for you all. I hope you guys enjoy the bit of humor in this one. I couldn't help myself. Thank you again for your awesome reviews!

**Chapter 5: Full Moon Eve and Dawning**

 

Stiles froze in the middle of Lacrosse practice, feeling as if his heart was going to jump out of his chest and run screaming in the other direction. Fear permeated his senses and he let out a soft growl before he could even stifle it. Some of the other players around him paid him no mind, concentrating on the instructions of Coach Finstock and their team captain. But, some people who had extra wolfy senses turned to sniff in his direction, one boy in curiosity, and the other in worried agitation. Stiles shivered as he felt anger replace his fear and he fought to calm down.

It wasn’t until someone – Jackson, seriously a douche – bowled into him, causing Stiles to go flying that the Cyger snapped out of his instinctual trance. Stiles hit the ground and rolled over a few times before he got his balance back. He snarled, eyes flashing as he turned to look at the asshole. Jackson’s smirked and turned away, patting Danny’s shoulder a bit and laughing at something the other guy said. However, before Stiles could have his anger boil over, Scott was there.

Blessed, loyal Scott. It was times like these that had Stiles loving his buddy even more. Scott’s worried face came into view, and Stiles tried to make out what his best friend was saying. Finally, his head seemed to clear, and he started hearing the words.

“Stiles, man, you can’t do this now, buddy.” Scott was saying softly, low enough that no one with human hearing could listen in, but loud enough that Stiles could hear. “Fuckin’ snap out of it. Are you ok?”

Stiles shook himself a bit and felt his inner feline settle slightly as Scott’s voice poured over him like a balm. He took a few deep breaths and nodded. “Yea, I’m ok. Sorry about that.”

“Dude, what happened?!” Scott asked, helping Stiles up. And somehow Stiles knew it wasn’t the whole Jackson thing he was asking about.

Stiles was about to comment but then he felt a nudge from one of his teammates as they passed by. He watched as Isaac looked him over and sniffed the air. “You ok?”

Stiles nodded slowly, “Yea, I’m used to it.”

When the other boy scowled and asked softly, “You want me to do something about it?” Stiles nearly laughed hysterically. Since when had Isaac become his bodyguard? Still, Derek had wanted Scott and Stiles to get close to the other Beta. 

“No, it’s ok.” Stiles said with a half-smile, sensing the tension rising in both Scott and Isaac. What was their problem? “Though I’d love to see Jackson get his due, I figure he’s not worth the effort. Plus, if he gets to be too much of a pain in the ass, I can fight my own battles.”

Isaac regarded him for a few seconds before he shrugged, “Ok. But, if he doesn’t get the message when you do hand his ass to him, I’ll make sure he never breathes again.” And with that, the boy turned away and stalked off.

Scott growled lowly under his breath, and when Stiles looked at him in question, the Werewolf said softly, “You know, I am beginning to understand a few things about other people’s emotions.”

“And?” Stiles asked, genuinely curious as he brushed off some of the dirt and sod plastered all over his jersey and shorts.

“Ok, when I scent you and Derek, and most other people, I noticed that there really isn’t any intent to kill there. To protect, yea, especially with you and Derek, or lovey dovey stuff that makes me want to hurl – which is totally normal. But with that guy,” He nodded in Isaac’s direction, “He has the urge. He’s just a ticking time bomb.”

Stiles regarded his friend for a moment before looking in Isaac’s direction. He couldn’t help but sniff the air, trying to scent what Scott had been smelling. But, the other Were was too far away now. “Maybe that’s why your Alpha approached him instead of just biting him? Maybe he was more of an asset than you due to that urge?”

When Scott shrugged and looked a bit wary, Stiles sighed and pulled his face mask off to rub an annoying itch on the end of his nose. “Well, regardless, Derek said we need help, so if he comes by and starts asking for help, we gotta help him, man.”

Scott nodded after a moment of thought. Then he turned and narrowed his eyes at Stiles. Stiles blinked and for a moment was confused as to why his buddy was looking at him like that. Then he remembered what started this whole thing in the first place. He suddenly tensed and looked around, sniffing the air.

“What is it?” Scott asked, following his friend’s action, but not finding anything unusual in the smells around them.

Again, Stiles was about to comment, but then the Coach blew the whistle, signaling a break. As everyone started to head towards the stands to grab some water and Gatorade, Stiles murmured softly to Scott, “I thought I caught scent of the Alpha Cyger.” 

Scott stiffened and let out a curt, “Shit.”

“Yea, which can only mean one thing. The Alpha is either out there somewhere close by, or –“ Stiles was cut off by Scott.

“Or he’s on the Lacrosse team.” Scott finished, taking a moment to observe the other players as inconspicuously as possible.

Stiles grunted as he sipped his water. He looked up in the stands, noticing a few of the normal ‘gaggle’ of girls hanging out to cheer on their boyfriends or friends. Lydia and Allison were sitting near a few other girls, smiling and talking to each other about nothing really consequential. Strange, how it was that seeing Lydia didn’t faze Stiles as much as it normally would. That might be due to the fact of one particular sexy Werewolf’s attentions earlier that morning.

Flushing slightly, Stiles turned to look around near the tree line of the Preserve. He let out a small huff of laughter as he spotted Derek casually standing near the abandoned bleachers on the other side of the field, feet parted, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, scowl firmly in place on his face. Stiles couldn’t help but notice that even though the man looked completely relaxed, he also looked the predator. 

“Oh, you finally noticed him?” Scott asked with a small impish smile. 

“What do you mean?” Stiles asked, distracted. He heard Scott chuckle softly and he rolled his eyes, turning to look at his buddy. “What? How long has he been watching?”

“Oh, I’d say about ten minutes.” Scott shrugged, looking up to wave at Allison, “He showed up about the same time Allison showed up with Lydia, why?”

Well that would explain the bitch face. Stiles had almost shifted in full anger-panic mode out there, and Derek probably was witness to the entire thing, but hadn’t been able to do anything about it, unless he wanted to risk exposure. Damn. Stiles sighed miserably, “Because I almost shifted out on the field and he saw everything. I am so fucked, aren’t I?”

Scott gave him a piteous look of sympathy and said helplessly, “Well you didn’t shift completely, just did the eye mojo, but that was it, so it really wasn’t a big deal?”

Stiles felt even more crushed. “He’s pissed, isn’t he?”

“Why are you asking me? If anyone is in tune with Derek, it is you.” Scott admitted, patting his buddy on the back. “But, yea, he does look pretty pissed.”

“Fuck.” Stiles pouted, but then he caught scent of something that made his blood ice over and boil at the same time.

And he snapped his head around, looking in every direction. When he noted that no one was watching him – Scott and Derek both had started looking around as soon as he’d started doing it – he trembled as he heard a soft mocking laugh nearby.

_“You’re smart, Ryzsard, and I bet you will figure out who I am eventually, but by then it will be too late. You will be MINE. No one else’s. Especially not that dark Beta’s.”_ And with that the scent and voice was gone. 

“Stiles?” Scott asked, concerned.

Stiles was grateful that everyone else was going onto the field, for he let out a low growl of anger, the feeling reverberating in his chest and stomach. This _fucker_ was going to go down. Alpha G. or whoever it was, was thinking he had the advantage, playing with Stiles. But, Stiles wasn’t an idiot, especially after he was provoked. This dude was definitely going down.

And soon.

\---------------------------------------

After practice, Stiles still wouldn’t tell Scott what the Alpha Cyger had told him. The only thing he would say is that it was a fucking challenge, and that the asshole was going down. Scott had wanted to try and pry the actual quote from Stiles’ mouth, but he knew a lost cause when he saw one, so he gave up, for now. Stiles went to the locker room and nearly bashed his skull into his locker, grunting softly when Scott nudged him gently. “M’ fine.” He mumbled, though they both knew it was a lie.

Soon the locker room was empty except for them and Stiles let himself slide down to the ground near his locker. He put his knees up to his chest and rested his chin there, pondering what to do. Scott, knowing his friend better than anyone, left him to his moping. The Werewolf went and showered, dressed and put his stuff away. By the time he came back, Stiles was pulling himself up off of the floor and getting ready to go to the showers.

As he passed, Stiles gave his buddy a shaky smile, and Scott figured that somehow, someway they’d figure this all out, eventually.

\----------------------------------------

Derek was livid.

No, he wasn’t just livid, he was pissed off. 

It wasn’t his mate’s fault, almost shifting in the middle of the practice turf. But it was the Cyger Alpha’s fault. The fucker was on the Lacrosse team, Derek knew that now. No one in the stands had smelled of the Alpha. Hell, not even anyone on the Lacrosse team did, but the only way for someone to get that close to set Stiles off had to be on the team. There was no other explanation for it. 

Derek hadn’t heard what that fucker had said to Stiles near break time, but he knew it had made an impression. A bad one. Though, he had to admit that he’d been proud of his mate, who had held it together to the end once he got his mind on things. Now, though, Derek caught the scent of the Cyger Alpha. 

He was following it across the school parking lot, not really surprised when it led him to Stiles’ jeep. Sniffing around the beat up vehicle, he let out a low growl of anger. The fucker had pissed on Stiles’ tires. What kind of asshole Alpha did that? Most Werewolves and other Weres in general didn’t mark their territory like that. If anything, they rubbed their hands or face on trees or items that they wanted to leave a mark on. But, this kind of scenting was crude and disgusting.  
What was this asshole trying to prove? That he was better than Derek? That he was going to make Stiles his and screw all the consequences?

Fuck him.

Derek was so pissed, that he slammed his fist into a fancy car near the jeep. The alarm went off in the silver Porsche, but Derek couldn’t care less. If a person had the money to buy that fancy thing, then they had enough insurance to cover a whole beach resort. Pulling his fist back, ignoring the pain of bits of metal and glass digging into his skin and knuckles, Derek felt a little better.

He snapped his head up as Stiles and Scott came running. When they saw what he’d done, Scott gaped and Stiles burst out laughing. “Oh my god, you didn’t just punch Jackson’s Porsche, did you?”

When Derek sighed and put his hand down to cover the fact that he was still sort of bleeding, Stiles let out another laugh, “Oh this made my day. This so made my day.” Stiles then motioned for everyone to get into the jeep so they could get the hell out of Dodge. “Where is Jackson?” When everyone looked around and noted that the parking lot was deserted, Stiles shrugged.

“Yea, I don’t know about you, but I seriously would love to see the look on Jackson’s face when he spots this, but his dad is the DA, so I really don’t want to stick around to get my dad fired. So, let’s boogie.” Stiles said, piling into the driver’s side, while Scott got into the back, and Derek got into the passenger seat.

Stiles warily looked at the other guy, “You ok, though? Your fist looked kind of bad.”

“I’ll heal.” Derek grunted out, though secretly he was pleased that his mate was concerned about him. Still, he could sense that his mate was nervous, and even agitated. Maybe it was because it was the night before the full moon, or maybe it was because of the whole Cyger Alpha thing?

“See, nothing bad.” He said again, trying to placate his mate by showing him is fist. 

The angry cuts were healed almost completely, though there were still some shards of glass imbedded in some knuckles. Stiles nearly flipped out, causing them to almost run into someone’s parked car as he maneuvered out of the parking lot. “OH MY GOD, you like _broke_ your fist!”

“So?” Derek arched a brow, a bit confused.

**“ON JACKSON’S CAR!”** Stiles exclaimed, trying hard not to whine in sympathy pain.

“Your point?” Derek asked, putting his fist up to lick at some of the fading wounds.

“Ugh, will you stop that you heathen!” Stiles smacked at Derek’s shoulder, causing the Werewolf to look at him in shock. Finally noticing that Scott was still there, and had been for the whole time, he flushed and then ordered his buddy, “Get the first aid kit near the floorboard. There should be some tweezers or something in there and gauze. Please try not to bleed out all in my car.”

“Found them, you want me to operate?” Scott offered with a small knowing smile.

Stiles flushed even more before he said, “Well, duh, I am sort of driving and you are working at the clinic.”

“Ok, ok, as long as Derek doesn’t bite my hand off.” Scott teased, though the other Werewolf seemed to be still stunned that his pack would go through all this trouble for some small cuts. Granted, they were starting to hurt like a bitch, but it wasn’t like this was the worst injury he’d sustained.

Scott and Derek managed to collaborate enough so that the glass and metal bits were out of his knuckles and all of the wounds had healed completely, despite dealing with the horrible shocks on Stiles’ jeep as they drove to the Hale house. 

They’d only have a couple of hours to train before both Stiles and Scott had to be home. Scott’s mom was coming home at 10, and the Sheriff was due to be home at 9. Derek noted as Stiles drove that the boy was still agitated, and was giving him wary looks. What was wrong? Derek reached out on impulse and folded his no longer injured hand over Stiles’ that rested on the stick shift. Stiles let the apprehension and tension drain out of him as he felt Derek’s concerned touch.

Trying to word it right without sounding like an idiot, Stiles asked, “So, uh, do we want to know why you suddenly took personal insult against Jackson’s Porsche? Did it give the Camaro a filthy name? By the way, why are you riding with us when you have a gorgeous car parked at the school?”

Derek sighed deeply and admitted, “I was pretty pissed back there.”

“Uh, yea, we kind of figured that one out.” Scott snarked from the backseat, but sobered, asking, “Was it because Stiles almost shifted out on the field?”

Stiles flushed slightly in embarrassment and grumbled softly under his breath, “Thanks buddy, thanks so much for being so fucking blunt. Might as well insert a shovel into my pride, why don’t you?”

Derek ignored Stiles’ ill-humored rant and answered Scott, “No, it’s because of the Cyger Alpha.”

Stiles drew silent at that, though he glanced over at Derek in question, trying hard not to think of the fact that the other Beta’s hand was still on his, offering comfort. It was calming, that touch, and Stiles knew he was going to regret it once they reached the Hale house and Derek would have to withdraw it. So, he reveled in it, though his main focus attention was on what the older Beta was talking about.

“I sensed that something was wrong the minute you stopped in the middle of practice and almost attacked that blonde kid that looks like he should belong in Back to the Future.” Derek explained, though he was cut off by a startled snicker and a bark of laughter coming from the other boys.

He arched his eyebrows first at Stiles and then at Scott, who were still snorting and snickering. “Am I missing something?” He asked, knowing that he was.

Scott rolled his eyes, “Yea, that dude was Jackson.”

“That boy… that idiot was Jackson?” Derek asked, getting a funny look on his face. “The guy who is a Biff wannabe?”

“Dude, you punch his car and have no idea who he is?” Stiles couldn’t help teasing. 

Derek grunted and shrugged, “I usually don’t deal with humans unless they pose as a threat or are in danger. I was also preoccupied if you remember.”

Stiles snorted, but allowed the other man to continue. “Anyways, I figured that due to the way Stiles almost automatically shifted in anger, it was because your trigger was there. The Cyger Alpha is on the Lacrosse team.”

“We sort of figured that out by ourselves too.” Stiles agreed, though he wondered why Derek hadn’t listened in on the conversation that he and Scott had had.   
Maybe it was due to the fact that Derek had been all the way on the other side of the field, and that the conversation had been at a whisper, nothing else. 

“So, you aren’t pissed at Stiles?” Scott asked, just to confirm.

Derek shook his head and teased, “No more than usual annoyance.”

“Hey!” Stiles whined, “What a way to make a guy feel special!”

But, then Derek admitted, “I was pissed because that fucker came by while you were in the locker room and pissed on Stiles’ tires and left.”

**_“WHAT?!”_** Stiles and Scott nearly hollered in sync. 

Derek absently rubbed his ears at the noise, but nodded in annoyance. “And though this thing is a piece of shit, it’s still considered pack territory, so I let out my anger on something that’s not.”

Both boys looked at him in shock, and Stiles didn’t even defend his jeep, though he figured later on that he probably should have, since the old girl had gotten him around everywhere, faithfully. But, that would be after he got his jeep washed. Like seven times. 

“That isn’t normal, right?” Scott asked, wrinkling up his nose in disgust.

Stiles couldn’t believe that he hadn’t smelled the scent of urine on his jeep when they all got in, but now he could. Ugh, way to go, selective super sense of smell. Derek shook his head no. “Thank god, that would be way too disturbing.” Scott muttered, and Stiles totally agreed with him.

Once they arrived at the Hale house, they all got out, but not before Derek gave his mate’s hand a reassuring squeeze, of which caused Stiles to smile at him goofily. 

This training session went smoothly, which caused everyone to feel a bit better, if not a bit more on edge. It was as if they were waiting for something. Like being on the edge of a precipice and waiting for the inevitable rock to crumble beneath them, sending them all into the depths of danger and mayhem. And if that wasn’t something to think about, barring the Allstate Mayhem dude – who Stiles thought was hilarious, then nothing was. Stiles got better at shifting back into his human form, though he still had some issues with it. Scott was getting better at controlling his shifts and keeping a level head. Derek was overall impressed with his makeshift pack.

Once that part of the session was over, Derek pulled them inside the broken down house to order pizza. When the boys looked up at him in question, considering they were now starting to get used to the nightly runs, Derek had said only that they’d need all the energy they could get tomorrow. Thank god the full moon was on a Friday. After their pizza arrived and they had dug in with gusto, Derek had given both boys some pointers about the party the next night.

“You are going to be on edge, so it’ll feel like the whole world is against you, and you will get pissed off by things that normally wouldn’t anger you.” Derek explained as he polished off a piece of pizza. After taking a swig of water, he went on, “The object is to work on finding an anchor. It’ll be something to keep you sane, even when everything seems to be falling apart around you. Once you get an anchor, you will probably still have some issues with aggression, but it won’t be as severe as if you didn’t have one. I want you two to work on getting an anchor tonight.”

Scott and Stiles nodded, and were left to their collective thoughts for the remainder of their dinner. Once Derek and the others cleaned up, they all piled up onto the dilapidated green sofas, and the older Beta let them know the plan for tomorrow. “I have a place now, so once the party is over, and we run ourselves out in the Preserve, we will crash there. I will be picking up the keys tomorrow and be doing some shopping. Therefore I won’t be at the school.”

He gave them both pieces of papers with the address. Stiles took it and fingered it gingerly before he put it in the pocket of his hoodie. Frankly both boys were sort of relieved that Derek had a new place now, that way they could go somewhere other than this creepy broken down place. Stiles was interested to see what this new place looked like. Hopefully Derek at least had good taste in apartments.

Still, Stiles was a bit nervous about being at school without Derek to be around as his security blanket. But, life was life, and he’d have to get over it. Derek had made sure to point out that he couldn’t be around them 24/7, so Stiles would have to just make sure that he stuck to Scott like glue. At least until the party.

The party shouldn’t be that bad, even if it was over at Jackson’s place. Lydia would probably be there, and Stiles knew that Derek would probably be lurking in the shadows just to be on the safe side. Stiles was sort of glad that Derek was going to be there to watch over things. Like some supernatural wolfy bouncer or whatever, but it still rocked that he’d be there. Stiles hadn’t really thought much about what he was going to wear, but it’d probably not be anything special. Hell, it wasn’t like he’d be much to look at, even if his sense of style was better.

Now, Derek, though. _Unf._ Pure and simple, this guy, though his lack of color was something to be desired, looked hot in practically anything. Hell, he’d probably look hot in drag. Shit, now he got some really twisted, kinky imagery to go with where his mind was already swimming. The gutter. 

And then there had been that kissing session earlier that morning. Stiles wasn’t that naïve to not know that Derek probably viewed it as a mistake. It had been hot, yes, but Stiles had to remember that he was sixteen and Derek was twenty two. And this wasn’t the middle ages where everyone and their brother married at twelve. And Stiles didn’t even want to think about what might happen if Derek got caught kissing him. His dad would lose his job, or worse. Derek could go to jail for that too.

It was bad enough that word might get back to his dad that Scott and Stiles were hanging out with Derek. Though Derek hadn’t done anything wrong, the rumors would fly for sure since the Beta was older than they were. It always seemed to happen that way.

Sulking slightly at the thought that Derek probably wouldn’t kiss him again until after he turned eighteen, if he even felt like it after that time, Stiles pouted. True, it was for the best, but it still didn’t mean that it didn’t suck. 

He got out of his moping when Scott nudged him slightly, asking him what was wrong. Stiles caught Derek watching him warily, but knowingly, so he probably was thinking along the same lines as the Cyger. Still, Stiles wasn’t one to drag anyone down with his depressing thoughts, so he smiled and shrugged, “Just thinking of tomorrow.” 

It was a total lie, and he caught both Scott and Derek narrowing their eyes at him, but he ignored it all. 

Looking at his watch, he huffed a sigh. “Guess we better head home, Scotty.”

Scott got up and stretched, scratching his stomach slightly in the middle of the act. Yawning hugely, the boy nodded at Derek and sauntered out of the broken down house to head towards Stiles’ jeep. 

For a long moment Derek and Stiles didn’t say anything. It got a bit awkward, and finally Stiles sighed and got up. Before he could make it to the door, Derek had grabbed his wrist to stop him. Stiles looked over at the other man, noting that he looked a bit puzzled, but determined. On impulse, Stiles dislodged Derek’s hand from his, since it was a loose grip, and ran his fingers up the other Beta’s shoulder to ruffle them through his hair.

Derek let out a low grumbling sigh and leaned into his touch, before he finally said, “You’d better go before I ram you up against a wall and fuck your brains out.”  
Wow, so Stiles wasn’t the only one who had trouble with his brain to mouth filter. Still, he smiled and tugged lightly on the older man’s hair, causing him to grunt in pleasure. Derek looked a bit flustered, but he also looked incredibly tired, like he hadn’t had any sleep in the past year. 

Crouching down so that he was next to the Werewolf, Stiles ran his knuckles over Derek’s cheek, reveling in the scraping rough stubble that his skin encountered. Derek’s eyes flickered to electric blue and he whispered, totally wrecked, _“Stiles….”_

At that sound, Stiles couldn’t help himself. He leaned in and kissed Derek’s lips with a fury that made the Werewolf’s breath hitch and his heartbeat run ramped. Derek let Stiles lead this time, though his inner wolf yearned to top, to claim, to take. He let out a ragged sigh as Stiles’ tongue played with his hesitantly. The boy got more sure as time went on, and Derek couldn’t stop the low growl of arousal to filter up through his chest. Stiles tasted so good, smelled like sex and fuck… Derek couldn’t think anymore.

If they didn’t stop now, his wolf would take over.

He’d fuck Stiles hard into the ground, the walls, every damned surface, and then do it all again. 

Derek finally switched the tables on Stiles as the boy pulled away. He lunged at Stiles and grabbed his face to keep it still. Stiles let out a ragged moan as Derek practically ate his mouth. He was all about teeth, tongue, and wet lips. His fangs nipped, his tongue seduced, and his lips coerced. Stiles grew intoxicated at Derek’s scent, at his sinful seduction. Desire filled his veins and before he knew it, he was humping the side of the green sofa, trying to get any sort of friction.  
Both broke apart when they heard Stiles’ jeeps horn blare like some demented cow. Stiles shivered, breathing heavily as he looked into Derek’s eyes. Derek wasn’t pushing him away, so that was a good sign. No, what Derek was doing was trying hard not to tackle him. His eyes were hooded with desire, his hair completely in disarray, and his lips were slightly swollen, pulled over fangs as he panted.

_Damn._ Stiles thought before Derek murmured shakily, “You should go.”

Stiles nodded and forced himself to leave, knowing that if he stayed there any longer, he’d probably do something that Derek and he would probably regret eventually. So, Stiles left, though it was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Or at least it felt like it. He mentally cursed Scott for honking the horn, but then he softened, knowing that Scott had broken up something that could have turned into all out sex.

And Stiles wasn’t so sure if he was ready for that. Even if he’d been alone with Derek, Stiles felt like he wasn’t ready for sex yet. This past week had been all kinds of weird, and it was all going too fast. He needed to slow down, at least for a bit. Maybe later, much later, he’d be ready to have Derek fuck him into the ground, but right now, there were bigger things to think about. The full moon for instance.

And the two rogue Alphas out there.

He really needed to get his priorities straight.

But, as Stiles drove Scott home, dropped him off, and finally got himself home, he couldn’t stop thinking of the way that Derek had tasted, the way he had smelled, the way he had felt. His touch had been like fire, so sweet, sinful, and erotic. Derek was like a forbidden fruit, and though Stiles knew he needed to slow this all down, he couldn’t help but yearn for the other Beta.

Sleep was hard to come by that night, though Stiles jacked himself off three times before bed. When Stiles finally fell into an exhausted sleep, he didn’t have dreams, thankfully. And in the morning he felt more rested than he’d had in the past week.

\--------------------------------------------------

The next day had Derek getting up at the butt-crack of dawn, possibly even before that, to do his morning habitual, and to go literally running to the school to get his Camaro. After Stiles and Scott had left the night before, Derek had blown off some much needed sexual frustration by shifting and running through the preserve for two hours. When he got to the hotel, he still had been incredibly horny, so he’d jacked off several times in the shower, in bed, and even up against a rickety table near the bed. He’d never been so aroused in his life! And this coming from someone who had a bunch of stamina just by being born a Werewolf; well, that said something. 

Then he had fallen into a restless, but much needed sleep.

Now though, he was getting ready to go to a 24-hr Walmart to buy a bunch of crap for his apartment. Thank god he had had the presence of mind to call his credit union – personally he thought banks were out to scalp anyone with ridiculous fees and whatnot, so he and his sister had always trusted a credit union that had offices worldwide – yesterday before Lacrosse practice to let them know he was going to be doing an extensive shopping spree. Derek so did not want to have his debit card to have a limit if he was going to be buying apartment stuff, like furniture, cleaning supplies, kitchen crap, or anything else. He managed to find a U-Haul place that opened super early, and rented a truck for the day. 

Once he entered Walmart, he sighed blissfully, noting that one of the advantages of going in super early was the fact that no one really was around. So, he could shop at his leisure. It still didn’t mean he had to enjoy himself. He hated shopping and only enjoyed grocery shopping because of Laura. Clothes shopping had been hell, and he really didn’t know much about apartment stuff. Still, he sniffed around and headed to the back for some furniture. He was going to get some cheap, but sturdy book cases, end tables, etc here, but most of the fancy stuff like sofas and a bed – he totally needed a bed – he was going to have to go to American Warehouse or somewhere like that later on that morning. So, for now, he got what he could at Walmart and ended up getting far more than he’d thought he’d ever need in his lifetime.

He now knew why Laura had sometimes went on shopping sprees, calling it therapeutic, whenever she got depressed or distracted. This helped keep Derek’s mind off of Stiles – or at least him physically. Sexually. Derek still would look at something and wonder if Stiles or Scott would like it, but mainly he would think about what Stiles would do when he actually saw what he was buying.

By the time he got all of the shopping done – including finding a fantastic bed (god the mattress), he was friggin exhausted, and it was time to go pick up his key and unload. Being a Werewolf had its perks when it came to moving large furniture. He managed it all by himself, and was pretty happy that no one was around to freak out that he was moving stuff into his apartment like a pro body builder when a normal human his size would still need help from someone else.

After unloading and rearranging everything to where it needed to be in his new place, he exhausted himself even more by cleaning. One thing Laura had been very picky on was cleaning, and Derek felt the same way. He wanted to get the smell of dirt and mildew out of every corner of his new place. That way when the pack came over tonight, he’d just have normal pack smells and possibly food smells in the place. Derek was so looking forward to that. During his expert cleaning, he had managed to do a few loads of laundry in the meantime. The washer and dryer were on their last legs, but they seemed to work well enough to wash his sheets, new comforter, dish towels, and everything else he had managed to pick up that needed it.

Once everything was as clean as it was going to get, Derek flopped down in the center of the main room, resting on a warm, soft black rug. God, he was tired.   
Unfortunately, his plan to totally wear himself out so he’d be too tired to think of his mate and of what happened last night, totally failed. Like, in epic proportions. Derek was doomed.

He was so screwed.

Sighing deeply, Derek figured it’d best to just take one day at a time for now. He was going to have to actually talk to Stiles about this. It wasn’t a fun conversation he was looking forward to, but it had to be done. Stiles needed to be of age. Period.

With another dramatic sigh, Derek got up and took a hot shower. And, if he indulged in another jack off session, he totally didn’t blame himself one bit. 

\---------------------------------------------------

Stiles might have felt rested when he got up that morning, but that didn’t mean he was all bright and cheery like he belonged on the happy express train. His mood was less than desirable, but he chalked it up to the fact that tonight was the full moon, and since it was his first, he probably would feel like ass most of the day. Crawling out of bed, he sniffed the air and noted that his dad was home for once, and awake.

Beautiful.

Not that Stiles wasn’t happy that his dad was home, and he was actually coherent enough for Stiles to talk to him or at least to exchange words with him, but of all days it had to be today. Moodily, Stiles went to the bathroom to get in a quick shower and jerk off session, not caring that he slammed the door a bit harder in his wake. Stiles was still learning about his own strength, but today he really couldn’t care less if he felt and acted like an asshole. He was totally projecting his mood by the time he pulled on his clothes, grabbed his backpack and duffle, and stomped downstairs.

His dad was calmly reading the newspaper and drinking a mug of black coffee. There was a plate of a half-eaten bacon sandwich in front of him, and Stiles sighed softly at the sight. “Is that turkey bacon?” He asked, even though he knew it wasn’t. 

The Sheriff rustled his newspaper a bit so he could give his son a stink eye before he said pointedly, “It’s Friday. I am allowed to eat what I want once a week. Plus, after a week like this one, I totally deserve to reward myself.”

Stiles bit back a few nasty remarks before he finally huffed and went about snatching up the rest of the bacon by the stove to make himself a breakfast sandwich as well. His dad arched a brow at his son’s lack of response, but the Sheriff was way too accustomed to dealing with Stiles’ weird mood swings, so he shrugged it off as a win and called it good. “How’s Scott?” He asked, because that was the safest thing to ask about.

Normally, he’d pry a bit more, but he was tired. The Sheriff hadn’t been lying when he’d hinted to his son that this week had been hell. And he wasn’t too keen on the fact that he was going to have to work double shifts through the weekend either. He took a sip of his coffee as Stiles mumbled a quick and moody “just peachy” before giving up on a lost cause.

So, he settled for, “That’s good.” Then he sighed and mentioned, “I am going to be out doing double shifts this weekend. So, don’t get into trouble while I am gone.”

“Ha!” Stiles barked sarcastically with a wide grin. If only his dad actually knew. But, better to keep that whole can of worms under wraps for the time being. Instead, Stiles mock saluted his dad and shrugged, “I am just going to be hanging out with Scott. We are going to go to Jackson’s party tonight, but after that we are going to crash at his place or here, depending on if we want to grab a bite to eat or not afterwards.”

“Why not eat beforehand?” The Sheriff suggested absently.

“Are you kidding me?” Stiles eyeballed his dad incredulously before he flapped his arms around spastically, explaining, “We aren’t going to have much time since the party is like right after school, and everyone knows that Jackson’s catering skills aren’t so great, and the food will probably be some weird shit like caviar or something like that. I so do not want to barf at his party. Granted, barfing in front of him would be awesome, but Lydia will be there, and I’d rather not gross her out.”

“Sorry I suggested it.” The Sheriff teased, before he finished up his sandwich and patted his son on the back before cleaning up. “Have fun and don’t give me an excuse to come haul your ass home.”

“Yea, ok.” Stiles rolled his eyes, but waved his dad goodbye before chowing down on his bacon sandwich. 

Looking at his watch, he noted that he had about thirty minutes to get to school, so he had time to double check his backpack and duffle. He didn’t think he’d have time after school to come home and throw on his best clothes, so he’d packed a few changes. Not knowing if Derek’s place actually had a modern bathroom, Stiles went ahead and had packed up his toiletries just in case. Being friends with a guy like Scott made Stiles learn a long time ago to be prepared for almost anything.

Making sure that he still had Derek’s address in his wallet, Stiles figured he was ready to go. Slipping out the front door, Stiles’ mood seemed to lighten a bit at the thought that he’d be staying at Derek’s place tonight. Granted, Scott would be there too, but it still felt exciting and sort of made Stiles feel special that Derek was going to allow them into his lair. Was it a lair or a den? Maybe it was Derek’s den. Anyways, Derek seemed to be a very private person, and yet he was going through all of these insane lengths to help Scott and Stiles out. It gave Stiles a warm fuzzy feeling at that thought.

His mind drifting to the insane hotness that was last night, Stiles absently got into his jeep and at first didn’t notice it. But, then Stiles started feeling the urge to shift. What was that smell? Eyes narrowing, Stiles looked around, sniffing curiously. Then he spotted it. Someone had hung some weird looking purple flower on his rear-view mirror. His eyes widened when he recognized it. Wolfsbane. He’d read about it during his extensive research a few nights past. 

But, why would anyone want to put it in his jeep? Was someone else aware of what he was? And how had they managed that? His doors had been locked. Knowing better than to touch the flower with his bare hands, Stiles rummaged through the backseat and got a somewhat clean tissue so he could throw the flower out the window. He was about to, when he noticed there was something strange about the chain attached to the flower stem. It looked almost like a necklace and it had dirt on it. Sniffing it carefully, Stiles nearly got dizzy from the Wolfsbane. Ugh, so much for that. Now he had a stuffy nose and an itch to shift in the middle of broad daylight. 

What the hell

Going with his gut instinct, Stiles folded the flower and the necklace into the tissue and put it in his duffle. He was so going to have to show Derek this tonight. That flower looked sort of like the flowers that Derek had planted above his sister’s grave. True, Stiles could totally try to research this without help, but Derek was older and much more experienced with this sort of thing. He might be able to tell who this necklace belonged to. And maybe he’d be able to scent it better without almost shifting to see who had put this in Stiles’ jeep. Also, if someone had messed with Laura’s grave, then Stiles figured that Derek would want to know about it. If someone had in fact disturbed the grave, then there would so be hell to pay. 

Whoever the hell it was that did this was either stupid or very crude.

Maybe it was a Werewolf hunter? Growling lowly at the thought, Stiles fought hard to keep from shifting. He so didn’t need this today. Rolling down his window, Stiles took in deep breaths of fresh clean air before turning on his jeep. 

He still wasn’t sure if he’d found an anchor yet, but he needed to make sure he was in control, especially today and tonight. He didn’t want to hurt anyone or anything. Though, the thought of possibly snacking on Bambi didn’t sound so disgusting tonight as it had a few nights ago. Ugh, he needed to get to school.  
Warring with himself about possibly texting Derek a picture of the flower and necklace before he got into class, Stiles nearly ran over Scott in his hustle to park. He waved at his buddy, grimacing in a half-hearted attempt at an apology, and then Stiles turned off the ignition and got out of the jeep. Going for a now customary scenting session, Stiles felt his friend stiffen and sniff him longer than usual. “What’s wrong?” Stiles asked.

Scott wrinkled his nose. “Why do you smell like Isaac?”

“What do you mean, why do I smell like Isaac?” Stiles arched a brow in confusion. Taking a look around, he noted that the goth Beta was nowhere in sight. “I haven’t seen him since yesterday at practice. Why would I smell like him?”

“I dunno. You just do.” Scott sniffed at his buddy again before he said, “Or at least your duffle does.”

Stiles sniffed at his duffle, and sneezed at the smell of Wolfsbane. Wait a second…. 

Did that mean that Isaac was the one who put the flower in his jeep? Whatever for? Stiles pulled out the flower and told Scott what had happened earlier. Scott growled lowly in his throat and Stiles nearly had a heart attack when his buddy’s eyes flashed amber. “Woa! So this stuff does work.”

“What is that?” Scott coughed, eyes going back to normal, though he gave Stiles’ duffle and the flower a wide berth.

“It’s Wolfsbane. And apparently both Cygers and Werewolves are allergic to it.” Stiles explained as he covered up the flower and chain. “So what do you think I should do? I know it’d be best to text Derek, but I don’t want to bug him if he is doing all that running around this morning.”

“With something like this, I don’t think he’d mind you telling him about it. If there are hunters in the area, I think he’d want to know. And if Isaac was the one who put the flower in your jeep, maybe it’s some sort of sign or warning of some kind?” Scott suggested, recovering enough to rub his nose on the back of his sleeve.

That would be disgusting to Stiles if it weren’t for the fact that he felt like doing the same thing. “Ok. But we need to get to class. I’ll text him at lunch.”

“Fair enough, now put it away before I die from not being able to breathe.” Scott agreed, breathing easier when Stiles put the flower and chain away.

“You know, maybe this is sort of a warning.” Stiles said as he walked with Scott to class. “I have a sneaky suspicion that the flower was from Laura’s grave. You know, Derek’s sister’s grave. If that’s the case, then maybe Isaac wanted to warn us away from it?”

“Makes sense, but why would he do that?” Scott asked. “Speaking of Isaac, where is he today?”

Stiles looked around as they got into class. He didn’t see Isaac anywhere. And, though he focused really hard, he couldn’t hear or smell the other Beta. At least Scott had been able to piece out Isaac’s smell from the Wolfsbane before it clogged up his senses. But, now that Stiles had cleared his senses, he couldn’t find any sign that the other Beta had even stepped foot in school.

What was going on?

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Isaac met with his Alpha near the edge of the Preserve, noting that the man looked haggard today. Not surprising since tonight would be the Full Moon, so it begged to reason that the both of them were on edge today. “It’s done?” The Alpha asked, blue eyes regarding his second Beta with narrowed eyes.

“Yes.” Isaac nodded, putting his hands in the pockets of his coat nervously. 

“Are you sure that Stiles will figure out what it means?” Peter asked, sniffing the fresh air of the forest surrounding them.

“Pretty sure. Or if he doesn’t, he’ll show Scott or the other Beta –“

“Derek.” Peter supplied, smiling at the irony of the situation.

“Right. Either way it goes, one of them will piece it together.” Isaac then warily looked over at his Alpha. “Do you think Derek will try to stop the police from digging his sister up?”

“No, but then again, he may. Or he might see the actual benefit of having her exhumed. True, he’ll be named as a person of interest, but he should never have buried that half of her in the first place. Sometimes I wonder what my nephew is thinking when he does things.” Peter smirked slightly, “There again, grief does strange things to people.”

“So, this is just to get the police off of your trail until you find out more clues into the fire?” Isaac clarified.

“Perhaps.” Peter shrugged, “If I told you everything, Isaac, then you wouldn’t need me as your Alpha, would you?”

Isaac huffed a sarcastic laugh, “I’d still need you to teach me regardless, but I get your point.”

Peter nodded, “Packs will always need leaders.” Just not Laura’s type. Now, all he needed to do was watch his plans unfold. “Time to make an anonymous tip.”  
“What about the Cyger Alpha?” Isaac asked, following his Alpha to a hidden black Mercedes parked not far from the Preserve. “He keeps on threatening Stiles.”

“Do you know who he is yet?” Peter asked, opening the driver side door to his car.

“No, but I have a suspicion.” Isaac said, feeling a bit ashamed that he didn’t know who it was for sure yet.

“Don’t act until you find proof. I want to keep everything under wraps for now. The Cyger Alpha might think that pissing on a boy’s tires is a way to show dominance, but he’ll know true dominance soon enough. Once you get proof, try to get him to me alive, if you will. If not, oh well, less for me to take justice out on. Still, it’d be nice to get him alive. Do what you have to do regardless.” Peter said with an evil grin.

Isaac nodded slowly, “There’s one more thing.”

“Hmmm?” Peter grunted, rummaging around a folded jacket in his car for a scrap of paper with a list of people tied to the fire.

“The other night at work, Stiles offered for me to go with him and Scott to Derek’s to train. Do you want me to go ahead in the near future?” Isaac asked, not seeing any reason why he shouldn’t tell Peter this.

Peter froze what he was doing for a long moment before he snorted with amusement. “My little spy. See, this is why I am dealing with you head on than doing things from the shadows like I am doing with Scott. You have it in you to be an awesome left hand.” He then sighed. “Might as well bond you four together as much as possible for now. Go ahead and play their games, leave them some clues, but don’t say anything about me out right. I want to have everyone in the dark for a little while longer.”

“No problem.” Isaac said softly, watching as his Alpha pulled out a cell phone from his jacket.

Peter gestured for the boy to get going, so Isaac left to go retrieve his bike. As he distanced himself from his Alpha, he still heard Peter say in a clear voice, “Yea, I would like to report a possible unauthorized grave site. Yea. Near the Hale house. Out front. Looks like it was dug pretty recently.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooo what IS Isaac doing? And what is PETER doing? Mwhahah, that is for me to know and you to find out ;) Next chap should be up on Oct 27th.


	6. Chapter 6: Complications and the Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, this fic is getting so HUGE, even though the boys haven't done their first full moon yet! WTF was my muse thinking? HA, but that's ok. Thank you again for everyone who leaves me kudos and comments. Love you guys a bunchies. Warning for this chap - BAD cliffie at the end, just warning you. o_o so yea, sorry about that. It just seemed like the best place to end the chap.

**Chapter 6: Complications and the Party**

 

Derek got the text at around lunch time, and it made him seriously want to hurl his half eaten sandwich into a bucket. Yes, he knew where that necklace came from, and yes, that necklace had been Laura’s. But, what did it all mean? He quickly forced the last half of his sandwich down, hating to waste food, even if he suddenly had no appetite anymore. As he made his way to his car, making sure to lock up the new apartment in his wake, Derek quickly texted Stiles back.  
 _That was my sister’s, and you were correct in assuming it was from her grave. Stay at school. I will check it out. If Isaac shows up, though unlikely, try to get him to talk._

Huffing a deep aggravating sigh, Derek got into his Camaro. His phone buzzed after only a minute, signaling that Stiles had given him an affirmative. Though the next text he got would have made him smile if the situation wasn’t so frustrating and alarming. _You get yourself killed, Sourwolf, and I swear I will find a way to bring you back from the dead just so I can cut your heart out with a spoon._

_Very imaginative, but if you are modeling the Sheriff of Nottingham from that particular Robin Hood, doesn’t he die?_ Derek texted back, a small smirk teasing his lips despite him still being upset.

By the time he got to the edge of the Preserve, Stiles had texted him back, snarking _You be quiet. Alan Rickman is an awesome actor. His one-liners are amazing in every movie he plays in._

_Touche._ Derek quipped, before he put his phone on silent. After he got out of his car, he took a moment to sniff the air, noting that the Werewolf Alpha had definitely been here recently, along with another Werewolf, probably Isaac. 

Getting more apprehensive by the minute, Derek made his way silently through the forest, inching towards the Hale house. However, long before he got there, he could smell them and hear them. There were cops scouring the whole area around the Hale house, with barking German Shepherds at their heels. Derek quickly hid himself below a small embankment, anger starting to rage within him. 

He didn’t have to see the actual evidence to know what had happened. Someone, or something had tipped the cops off. His sister was going to be completely exhumed, if she hadn’t already been. Debating on what he should do at this point, Derek finally came to the conclusion that there wasn’t much he really could do, but to deal with it later. He had two Betas to keep in line tonight, one of whom was his mate. Isaac might have been the one to give them a warning, but Derek didn’t think it was the same boy who called in the body discovery. That probably had been the Werewolf Alpha, trying to get the cops off of his trail. Still, this was all so frustrating. If only he KNEW who the Werewolf Alpha was. It would make so much more sense if he knew.

Letting out a soft annoyed growl, Derek quickly made his way back to his Camaro and sped away. 

Despite his better judgment, the Beta went ahead and checked up on Scott and Stiles. He didn’t tell them much, only that the top half of his sister had been found and that it might not be a good idea to run in that part of the Preserve. He did have a backup plan. There was an old subway system right in the middle of the Preserve that could be used as a place to go after the party. Despite wishing that he could just order the other Betas not to go to that damned party, and to come straight to his apartment after school, Derek knew that it wouldn’t be such a good idea. Tonight would be a test for the other two Betas – to see if they could handle the pull of the full moon amongst several people. Yea, it might be like dunking a person into the deep end and expecting them to learn how to swim without drowning, but Derek had little choice in the matter. 

The fact that the cops were going to be looking for him soon after ID’ing the body of his sister was another monkey wrench to contend with, but that was Derek’s life. It sucked. He figured he’d best just suck it up and deal with things one day at a time. 

Still, at least he was going to be at the party to make sure the Betas didn’t go too berserk. He’d drag both of the boys out of the party by their ears if he needed to. 

With the progress the two new Betas had made in the past three days, Derek couldn’t help but feel optimistic about the boys’ being in control. Even so, it was always better to expect the best but prepare for the worst. The full moon affected every wolf differently. All he could do was just wait and see, and to be on his guard.

As for the whole thing with the cops going to be looking for him, Derek figured he could deal with that later, when his pack was over the full moon.   
After noting that Stiles and Scott still hadn’t seen Isaac by the time school let out, Derek decided that they’d have to deal with the other Beta later. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles quickly changed out of his ‘normal’ clothes in the bathroom at school, and put on what he was going to wear to the party. It didn’t really differ much from the stuff he usually wore, but it was the best he had. Having the fashion sense of a toad sucked, but that’s the way Stiles was. Maybe if his mom had been still alive, she might have shown him how to dress well. But, that was bringing up too many painful thoughts as it was, so Stiles steered his brain elsewhere, attempting to make do with what he had.

After pulling on a nice pair of jeans that didn’t have the knees nearly worn out at the seams, a plain blue v-necked shirt, and one of his less tatty looking black and blue hoodies, Stiles took a look in the mirror of the boy’s bathroom and sighed deeply. There wasn’t much he could do about his buzz cut, and he felt funny trying to see if his teeth had anything stuck between them. Putting on a clean pair of socks and his normal shoes, Stiles felt like he was a total fashion horror, but oh well.

It wasn’t like he had wanted to go to this party in the first place. It was all about Scott and Allison. The only reason why Stiles had been invited was due to Scott wanting him to be there. Sometimes it was nice to think that Scott never wanted to leave Stiles behind. Other times it was a bit annoying. Still, Derek was going to come too, so this party shouldn’t be so bad, right?

Yea, Stiles didn’t believe his own optimism either. 

The party probably would involve a lot of humiliation on Stiles part, which was a normal happenstance, since it was going to be held by Jackson. Seeing Lydia would be nice, though Stiles had come to the conclusion that morning that he was way over her now. If anything, Stiles would like to be her friend. He still viewed her as way out of his league, but he couldn’t help thinking that she could do totally better than Jackson. Stiles knew that Lydia was incredibly smart, so he couldn’t understand why she always seemed to have a knack for dating assholes. The only reason why she started dating Jackson in the first place was because he was captain of the Lacrosse team and had enough money to buy her a fucking island resort somewhere in the tropics. 

Sniffing himself a bit, figuring he smelled ok, Stiles looked at his watch.

Shit, he had to go or he’d be late. 

At least he didn’t have to pick up Scott and Allison. Scott had got his mom’s permission to borrow her car for the party, so he could pick Allison up on the way. However, she had warned him to make sure the gas tank was full when he returned the car to her later on that night.

That wasn’t something that Derek and the rest of them had planned prior, but Stiles wasn’t too worried. If Scott hadn’t realized it yet, Stiles figured that Allison was sort of an anchor for him, and he’d figure it out sooner rather than later. Scott was smart, even if his recent potato-ness about being a Werewolf sort of belayed that fact for a few days. Stiles had complete faith in his buddy regardless, and knew that Scott would be ok taking Allison home after the party, and meeting up with both Derek and Stiles at the old abandoned subway near the Preserve.

Besides, if Scott did in fact lose control, Derek would know, and would take care of it.

Even if that meant taking Allison home himself.

Now that would be awkward, no doubt about it. But, at least he wasn’t forcing Stiles and Scott to not go to the party. He was actually being way generous, especially since this was going to be both Stiles and Scott’s first full moon. 

Hopping into his jeep after a quick sniff to make sure no one else tried to sabotage his baby, Stiles drove to Jackson’s. The drive wasn’t that long, maybe about fifteen minutes from the school, but as Stiles parked on the side of the road, he noted that a bunch of other kids had already showed up. Slamming the door to his car shut and locking it, he surveyed the area and sniffed the air by instinct. Nothing really looked amiss, but across the street, he noted that Isaac was leaving his house in a hurry on his bike.

That’s right. The Laheys lived near Jackson. Stiles couldn’t believe he actually forgot about that. Still, as he watched the boy ride his bike like a bat out of hell away from the house, the Cyger’s eyes narrowed. Was Isaac going to meet up with his Alpha? Probably so. But, the way he had raced his bike just now, Stiles had the nagging suspicion that there was more to it. It almost looked like Isaac was running away from his house, afraid.

Letting out a soft growl of irritation, Stiles nearly jumped a foot when Derek came up behind him and slapped a firm hand onto his shoulder. “Calm down.” Derek murmured softly, nodding in the direction that Isaac had gone. “You still have the Wolfsbane and necklace with you?”

Fancy that. No ‘hello’, or ‘how are you doing’. Stiles couldn’t bring himself to be that irritated however, knowing that Derek was just concerned about what was going on with his sister’s body. So, he nodded stiffly and went to pull out his duffle out of his jeep. As soon as Derek caught sight of the necklace and flower, he rumbled a low growl. Stiles felt a tingle of chills move up and down his spine to settle in his groin at the sound. _Shit._

He didn’t need to feel this way right now, just because he liked Derek’s growling.

Or Derek’s anything.

In general.

God, he smelled good. As he waited for Derek to say something, or to finish examining the necklace and Wolfsbane carefully making sure not to touch it with his bare hands, Stiles looked the other Beta over. Derek was wearing some nice black jeans, along with a white shirt and his leather jacket. Familiar boots were snug on his feet, and his hair was spiked up at the edges to give himself a wild look. Stiles all about drooled.

Granted, Derek looked like he should be heading to a bar instead of being at a high school jock’s party, but Stiles couldn’t care less. He was hot. And god, that _scent._

Feeling a hot blush creep up on his cheeks, Stiles coughed slightly to get his emotions and libido under control. Not that it worked, but it was still a valiant try.

Derek caught Stiles’ scent of arousal and sighed deeply. He really did need to talk to his mate. But, there was too much to handle right now, so he’d have to save it for later. He finally discerned that the scent did come from that other Beta, the same scent he came across in the Preserve along with the Werewolf Alpha’s. 

“Scott figured it was definitely Isaac who moved it, but we are still trying to figure out if he was trying to warn us about something, or if he was trying to give us a sign. Isaac may be a total goth boy, but he’s a good guy, so I don’t think he did it out of spite.” Stiles voiced what Derek had already presumed.

“Regardless, we are going to have to be more careful now. I might be a person of interest now that Laura is going to probably be ID’d. So, that means both you and Scott will have to be on your guard. I am still not sure if the rogue Werewolf Alpha was the one who tipped the cops off. It could have been some hunters, though I didn’t catch any fresh scent of any other person in the Preserve.” Derek added.

Stiles nodded slowly, “Fair enough. By the way, I was wondering, if I am going to introduce you, do you want to be just as a friend? I mean, it’d probably not freak anyone out if they found out you and I….” He faltered, “That is, um… shit. What are we? Because I know we made out a few times, and if you don’t want to have this get out, I totally understand, since like my dad would so kill both of us, and stuff….”

Derek felt his lips twitch in amusement. Guess the talk would have to be now. He hated to do this but, it was for the best. “I think we are more than friends, Stiles, but I think it’d be good to keep things under wraps until at least you come of age.”

Stiles nodded with a smile, “Cool. That is sort of a relief you know. I seriously don’t think I could take my dad bringing out his shotgun just yet. But, does that mean that we aren’t, you know, uh, dating in secret?” 

Seeing those soft golden brown eyes look at him with such longing, Derek felt his heartstrings tear. _Damn._ So, he wasn’t surprised when he felt himself saying, “If it’s what you want, we can date. But, on two conditions.”

Stiles put his hands in his pockets nervously, suddenly finding his shoes interesting. “No sex. Right?”

Derek barked out a surprised laugh. Leave it to teenaged boys to have a one track mind. Still, “That wasn’t what I was thinking about, but partly that yes. First condition: no fucking until you are at least 17. Second condition: we concentrate on defeating both Alphas, and getting our pack stable before any actual dates occur. Sound reasonable?”

Stiles pouted at the ‘no fucking’ part, but figured it was better than being rejected. He couldn’t believe that this just wasn’t a fantastic dream, and that Derek was actually willing to do all this. It seemed so unreal. So, he felt himself nod, and couldn’t help grinning like a lunatic at Derek, who just snorted and ruffled his buzz cut fondly.

“Scott’s late.” Derek murmured softly as both him and Stiles made their way through the throngs of people at Jackson’s house. Stiles had introduced him to a bunch of people that he’d probably never see later in his life. Still, Stiles seemed to be totally tripping on the happy pills.

No one really seemed to care, so Derek figured that Stiles usually acted excited at parties. Still, the thought that he actually put that smile on his mate’s face, it was enough to make his day feel a hundred times better. 

Stiles shrugged, “I wouldn’t worry about it. He’s probably talking to the Argents or whatever.”

And with that, his mood soured. “Argents?” He asked, trying to opt for nonchalance.

Stiles turned and gave him a quizzical look, so Derek knew he totally failed on epic proportions. “Yea, that’s who Scott is dating. Allison Argent. Why?”

_Fuck._

“Shit.” Derek hissed, finally opting to pull Stiles into an empty room. He closed the door and slammed his mate up against it.

Stiles squawked a bit, but quieted as Derek shushed him with a hiss. After Derek listened for a good minute, he sighed and slowly relaxed his tense muscles. “What is it?” Stiles asked softly, warily looking into Derek’s eyes. They were flickering slightly blue. 

“We might have a problem.” Derek said, and after a moment he chuckled.

“Uh, dude, I kind of figured that one out. And um, not that I totally don’t like you slamming me up against a door, because, yea, KINKY, but what’s going on?” Stiles babbled, trying not to get alarmed at this whole thing.

That regrettably seemed to snap Derek out of whatever thoughts he was having, for he relaxed his hold on Stiles and leaned in to scent his mate. Stiles let out a startled mewl, and practically melted into the other Beta’s embrace, not able to help himself as he scented Derek as well. Derek basked in his mate’s calm presence for a moment before he finally pulled away and explained, “The Argents are hunters.”

Stiles blinked at Derek stupidly before he finally squeaked out, “Are you serious?!”

“Yep.” Derek grunted, opting to give his mate a cheesy, sarcastic smile, “And though they are supposed to live by a code, some of them don’t abide by it, more often than not.”

“So, Scott is dating a hunter’s daughter.” Stiles whispered, and then he let out a frustrated moan, rubbing his face almost comically. “Why does my life suddenly feel like some supernatural soap opera?”

“Because your life is a supernatural soap opera.” Derek replied, though he folded his arms across his chest, trying to think of a way out of this. How were they going to break this to Scott? Would he even believe them?

Then again, Scott was known for his intelligence, even if he sometimes let his instincts fall by the wayside. Stiles finally seemed to pull himself together, for he seemed to come to a conclusion. “Ok, here’s what we’ll do. We don’t tell Scott about it until tomorrow. If we tell him tonight, he might go bonkers, and worry about it moreso, and probably would have a tough time concentrating on not shifting.”

Derek nodded. “Sounds reasonable.”

“Do you think Allison is a hunter as well? Or huntress, or whatever?” Stiles asked, running his hand through the buzz on his head.

“I’ve not met her, so I am not sure. Still, from what I know about the Argents, they usually don’t train their kids to be hunters until they are eighteen. That way it gives them time to think over if they want to become a hunter or not.” Derek sighed deeply. He then tensed slightly, listening to the sounds around the house.

“Scott’s here.” Both of them said at the same time, which made Stiles smile.

“You want me to go out first, so no one gets any ideas?” Stiles asked, looking a bit hesitant.

Derek nodded, but as Stiles turned to open the door, the older Beta grabbed him, turned him around, and slammed him hard against the door. Before Stiles could say anything, the Werewolf’s mouth was on his, hot and demanding. Stiles let out a breathless moan, and let himself be plundered, totally enjoying Derek’s attentions. God, that tongue, his taste, his scent, all of it made Stiles let out keening moans.

Derek ate Stiles’ mouth like a starving man for a few, tense, erotic moments, before he finally pulled away. His breath ghosted over Stiles as they took in each other’s scent. “Mine.” Derek murmured, before he withdrew completely, giving his mate a toothy grin.

Stunned, and totally wrecked, Stiles answered Derek by flipping him the bird, but the insult was softened by the blinding smile he gave the older Beta. Derek rolled his eyes but left his mate untouched this time when the boy went to leave the room. 

Hell, how was he going to be able to keep Stiles a virgin until he turned 17? Especially if Stiles went into heat? Or Derek went into heat?

Fuck it.

He’d deal with that problem when it turned up. Right now, they had to get through this stupid full moon night. After that, they could figure out other things.   
Derek waited a few more minutes before he left the room, ignoring the throngs of people trying to press up against him. He let his stoic bitch face come over his expressions, and it worked well enough to get peeps to move out of his way. Following the scent trail of his mate and of Scott’s, Derek finally caught up with them near the dance floor. Scott was dancing with Allison. Derek recognized her from one of the girls that attended practice, and also recognized her scent, which Scott was practically drenched in it now. Stiles was off to one side, sipping some punch and looking around. He smiled when he spotted Derek, though the older beta just offered an inclined nod, before he moved over to the other side of the huge pool.

He spotted a few couples making out, doing their best to try and fuck without taking their clothes completely off. Snorting, Derek barely glanced at them before he spotted Jackson trying his best to suck his girlfriend’s face off. Rolling his eyes, Derek turned to survey his pack. He was never one to really go to parties. They seemed useless to him, since he couldn’t ever get drunk, nor could he get high, unless someone burned Wolfsbane in the area. The only time he even tried to do that, he’d been 14. He got caught by Laura and let’s just say that being whipped by your older sister was not something he ever wanted to remember.

That was the one and only time he’d ever played with something like that.

Now, though, with everything that was going on, Derek wished he could get drunk. At least he’d be able to forget how fucked his life was for a bit. Grunting softly, he spotted Stiles, who was looking over at Jackson and the strawberry blonde with a mixture of sadness and horror. Narrowing his eyes at the girl, he remembered her now. She was Lydia. Derek remembered Stiles mentioning pining after her, but he didn’t smell any lust or anything like that coming from his mate in viewing her. 

Good, at least his mate wasn’t being delusional anymore. Besides, Lydia looked like she could really rip someone a new one if she wanted to. Perhaps it was better that Stiles was with him now. Though, Stiles could totally do better than having a broken, scarred Werewolf with no family left due to his own fault. Moody thoughts tried to take over his mind, but Derek growled lowly and pushed them away. He wasn’t going to do this tonight. He was in control of himself, and he didn’t need to be reminded that he was the reason why his family was dead.

Derek turned his attention to Scott and Allison. They seemed to be having a blast, which made him snort in amusement. He figured Scott deserved to have a little bit of fun before he found out the truth tomorrow. Looking up at the sky he noted that the sun was finally setting, and the moon would be rising soon. He’d allow the two boys another hour before they had to go. Scott would take Allison home, and drop off his mom’s car before hopefully meeting up with the rest of his pack. Derek knew that if Scott didn’t make it to the abandoned subway by ten p.m. tonight, then he and Stiles would have to go find him. 

He hoped he didn’t have to run the boy down.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The party was ok, considering Stiles didn’t get humiliated by Jackson or anyone else. It also felt comforting to have his broody Werewolf boyfriend watching over him and Scott from the shadows. Still, a party was a party, and though Stiles was beginning to understand he couldn’t get drunk, he got some punch and went over to where Derek was ‘haunting’. He offered the punch to Derek, who took it from him, and made small talk about nothing consequential. 

Still, it was nice to be able to have someone to talk to, now that Scott was with Allison. Both Betas kept a close watch on the couple, just out of self-preservation, and slowly relaxed. Still, by the time the sun set, and the moon started rising, Stiles started getting twitchy. He bounced around on the balls of his feet, trying to expel some energy out of him.

It helped when Derek reached over and laid a hand on Stiles’ shoulder, the act both calming and reassuring the Cyger. “Thanks.” Stiles mumbled after a moment.

Derek withdrew his hand and nodded. “Did you manage to find an anchor?”

Stiles shrugged half-heartedly. “I tried thinking about it. I was thinking maybe it’d be my dad, or the memory of my mom, but nothing seems to be really clicking, you know?”

Derek was silent for a moment before he said, “Try thinking of protecting your pack. And I don’t just mean me and Scott. Think of your friends, and your family as extensions of your pack. Try that tonight, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll think of something else.”

“I’ve read somewhere that when bitten Weres shift, it’s hard to retain memory. Is that true? Because, I don’t like the idea of not knowing what I am doing, and not remembering it either.” Stiles said nervously.

“It depends on the person. If you have control, and an anchor, you remember. From what I’ve heard about bitten Weres, their first full moon is their worst when it comes to controlling their inner selves.” Derek reminded Stiles, “I was born a Werewolf, and was taught at an early age how to control myself. Sometimes it still is difficult, but I keep myself grounded.”

Stiles nodded, knowing that thought what the Werewolf had said wasn’t really reassuring, it still made him feel better to know that both Scott and Derek would be there with him. “I think I am beginning to realize Scott’s anchor.” Stiles nodded towards Allison.

Derek sighed in agreement. This was going to make things much more difficult. 

“We’ll see what happens tomorrow when we tell him about her family. For now, let them dance.” Derek said. “At least one of our packmate’s happy.”

Stiles beamed up at Derek, “Hmm, I dunno. Some Sourwolf made me happy tonight, so maybe that makes two?”

Derek rolled his eyes but snorted fondly at his mate.

Maybe he was happy as well. He wasn’t used to feeling the emotion, without feeling guilt coming right after it. Maybe it was just contentment. It’d been a long time since he’d felt either emotion, honest and free of pain or sorrow. It was addictive. And Derek wasn’t going to give this up for the world.

\---------------------------------------------------------  
Stiles looked around the abandoned Subway, wrinkling his nose at the musty smell of dust and old forgotten oil. There was enough dirt in this place to give the Sahara Desert a run for its money. Ugh, and Derek wanted to start meeting here during full moon nights or most pack meetings. It didn’t matter if Derek’s landlady didn’t seem to mind that Stiles and Scott would be showing up at odd hours at his place, but the older Beta didn’t want to push it. So, most of the pack meetings would be here, at least until the two rogue Alphas were found and taken care of, and when Derek got himself off the hook for his sister’s death.

Stiles had, by habit, turned on the frequency to his dad’s station on the way over to the abandoned subway, and had found that yes, they had finally ID’d Laura’s body, and yes, they were looking for Derek. But Derek wasn’t a suspect. Nor was he a person of interest. It turns out that the coroner’s office had only found animal hair littered all over her body. So, even if someone had buried half of her body near the Hale house, no one could pin her death on anyone besides a wild animal. 

The only reason why Derek was being looked for was the fact that he was the closest sane relative Laura had left alive. They didn’t want him to ID the body, since that was already done. They just wanted to do the right thing and let him know that his sister was dead.

When Stiles told Derek about it while entering the subway, the other man had clammed up a bit, but then had relaxed, muttering that he’d deal with it on Monday. It seemed like a good call to Stiles, since tonight they’d all be preoccupied with the full moon, and the rest of the weekend was sort of out of the question. Stiles didn’t offer to go with him to the station, for he understood that Derek probably wanted to handle this himself. Plus, it’d be pretty stupid if Stiles got spotted hanging around Derek before it was widely known that he was in town. It was much safer if Derek went by himself. 

It still didn’t make Stiles feel any better thinking that Derek was going to be at the station alone with his dad, and possibly a few other deputies, but oh well. At least Stiles could count on his dad being fair and sympathetic. The Sheriff had always had a soft spot for the Hales, and he’d always told Stiles that it didn’t seem like it’d been an accident when the Hale house burned down. But, as the Sheriff had told Stiles, beside it wasn’t any of his business getting involved (ha), was that there wasn’t any evidence to suggest otherwise.

It made Stiles wonder if the Argents had anything to do with it. He couldn’t help remembering the look on Derek’s face when Stiles had mentioned that Scott was dating one. It was one of anger, and a bit of ironic despair. Stiles hadn’t liked that look on his boyfriend’s face. He still didn’t like it and wanted to ensure that Derek didn’t have it on his face much more in the future if he could help it. 

Funny, thinking of Derek as a boyfriend. 

But, if he wasn’t a boyfriend, then what was he? He couldn’t be friends with benefits. That would be way too weird to think about, considering their gap in ages. Stiles sighed deeply. Until he could classify what Derek was to him, he’d stick with the whole ‘boyfriend’ thing.

“So, what are we going to do once Scott gets here? Strip naked and run through the Preserve?” Stiles asked cheekily, not being able to help it.

He heard a soft huff of laughter coming from the other side of the station. He sniffed the air slightly and noted that the other Beta was rooting around in one of the subway cars. How random was that? Derek seemed to find what he’d been looking for, for he came out of the car carrying a huge chest with a nifty design painted into the top of it.

It was the same design as Derek’s tattoo. “Is that like a family thing?” He motioned to the design as the Werewolf set down the chest with a soft thud.

Derek nodded. “This is our family’s symbol. It’s called a triskele. It can have several different meanings, mother, father, child, or in our case, Alpha, Beta, and Omega. Each Werewolf can slip interchangeably into one or the other. Omegas can become Betas or Alphas, and so on and so forth.”

“Gives you a perspective on nothing’s ever set in stone, I take it?” Stiles flashed the older man a comical smirk, leaning down to get a closer look at the chest.

Derek gave his mate a small agreeing smile. He arched his eyebrows at Stiles before he opened the lid to the chest. Inside were chains and manacles of every weird sort. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to use any of this on his pack members, but it was always good to be safer than sorry. He pulled out a few gruesome chains and felt around the bottom of the chest. 

Stiles picked up one of the manacles and sniffed it, not being able to help his morbid curiosity. “You aren’t going to use this on us if we go bonkers, are you?”

“If it keeps you from eating a human, then possibly.” Derek pointed out absently, finally finding the hidden compartment in the bottom of the chest.

“Oh goody.” Stiles muttered sarcastically, “Why do I suddenly feel like Fido, even though I’m mostly a cat?”

“I could start calling you Oliver if you want.” Derek teased, pulling up a map of the Preserve, along with a map of Beacon Hills. Both maps looked like they were faded from use, but it did show a bunch of underground tunnels that made up the subways, and that’s what Derek wanted.

“You do, and I will withhold sex.” Stiles bantered, but then blushed when Derek stopped what he was doing and gave him a raised eyebrows look.

“Oh shut up, you know what I mean!” Stiles waived his arms around spastically, rolling his eyes.

“I didn’t say anything.” Derek said with a straight face, though inside he was laughing. His mate was too adorable when he got flustered.

“No, but your eyebrows did. You seriously have expressive eyebrows.” Stiles pouted, before both stiffened.

Scott had just arrived. And he wasn’t alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Runs screaming away as pitchforks are thrown at me* OMG, I am SO sorry about the cliffie. And NO, you cannot torture me to tell you who was with Scott, so don't even try. Anyways, next chap will be up on November 3 (seriously where has the time gone?! o_o) and it will definitely deal with the full moon. FINALLY! *flails*


	7. Chapter 7: The Full Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek grunted softly, as he started pulling a few things out of the fridge. When offered, Stiles took up a soda and a bologna sandwich. It seemed like Derek had been very much prepared for tonight. The whole situation was weird and fucked up, but it made Stiles feel all tingly inside at the thought that Derek cared so much. “So, uh, where do you want me to sleep?” 
> 
> Derek raised his eyebrows and after regarding his mate for a few long tense minutes, he sighed deeply. “Stiles.”
> 
> “Yes?”
> 
> “When I told Scott, wherever you feel comfortable, I meant it for both of you to get that. My place is your place while you are here. Eat, drink, touch whatever you want. Sleep wherever you want.” His eyes narrowed as he spotted a blush creeping up Stiles’ neck to fill his cheeks. “Within reason.” He added.
> 
> Stiles let out a whoosh of breath and nodded. “Kay.” He said simply. As he headed over to the sofas in the main room, he nearly dropped his sandwich and soda when Derek added, “If you sleep in my bed, shower first, please.”
> 
> Oh hell. He was so fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok peeps, here is another chappie for you. Thanks for all of your reviews. =) They totally make me smile and actually help motivate me to write, so thank you. Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Warning, surprise creature in here.

**Chapter 7: The Full Moon**

 

_OMG, what is JACKSON doing here?_ Stiles’ eyes shifted from Scott to Jackson, and back again. What was going on? To say that he was stunned, and more than a little confused was an understatement.

Stiles then took in the usually pristine jock’s appearance, taking in that the boy was shivering, and half of his clothes were torn or ripped up. He had huge slashes on his chest, making his usually epic body look like he’d suddenly been in a mountain lion fight and lost. _Badly._

“What happened?” Derek asked softly, leveling Scott with a concerned, but stern glare.

It wasn’t that Derek thought that Scott had done this to Jackson, though the stubborn Biff wannabe probably would have deserved it. No, it was more along the lines of wondering why Jackson was attacked, and by whom. From the way the slashed wounds were covering the bully’s chest, it was a wonder that he was still coherent and walking on his own for the most part.

Scott didn’t look so bad, considering his clothes weren’t torn up much, and there was no blood to be seen. Before Scott could explain anything, Jackson asked numbly, “What the hell’s going on, McCall? And why is Stilinski here? And who’s that other asshole?”

Oh boy.

Stiles had a sneaky suspicion that Jackson had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Turns out, he was right.

Scott sighed deeply and started his tale, “I was on my way over here from taking Allison home, and spotted the Cyger Alpha dragging a body off of the side of the road near Jackson’s house. I stopped the car, and smelled the blood. It was Jackson.” He then recounted, while Stiles started rummaging around in his duffle for his handy dandy first aid kit, that he’d tried to scare the Alpha Cyger off, shifting and everything, not being able to help it due to the full moon’s pull. 

While Stiles started handing bandages and ointment over to the still shell shocked jock, Scott started pacing, trying to get his words out. “I would have seriously called you guys if I had the time. It all happened so fast! I couldn’t just let Jackson die. He might be a douche, but still.”

Stiles blinked up at Jackson, who was concentrating on pulling his mangled shirt off without causing much more damage. With a deep sigh, the Cyger went to help him, only to be growled at.

“ _Back off,_ Stilinski.” And suddenly, things got more interesting. Jackson’s eyes started glowing green.

Derek seemed to ignore the exchange, though his eyes met Jackson’s a few times in shock before he turned back to Scott. “Go on.” He prompted, though he moved closer to his mate, just in case the Jackal got more agitated.

How in the hell had he missed that Jackson was a Were-Jackal? Sniffing the air, he couldn’t smell anything out of the ordinary. Jackson smelled like Jackson, human. Not _Jackal._ So, that meant that Jackson was born a Were, and had learned at an early age to mask his scent and overall animal feel. Huh. Suddenly things started to click. 

Stiles blinked a few times and backed off, but not before giving the Jackal a curious sniff. Jackson calmed a bit more, when he finally didn’t feel threatened. It begged to reason he was edgy around Stiles, for it was a Cyger who had attacked him tonight. 

Scott gave the Jackal a wary look before he continued, “I managed to get a huge gash into the Cyger Alpha’s side, but I got backhanded a few times for my trouble. And then suddenly the Sheriff showed up, spooking the Cyger off with his flashlight and gun.”

_Oh shit._ Stiles thought, suddenly getting a bad feeling about all this, no Star Wars pun intended.

“It looks like the Sheriff is in the know.” Scott chewed on his lips and winced as both Stiles and Derek gaped at him. “Or, well he knows about Werewolves.”

“He knew I was one. Even if me being shifted in front of him wasn’t a good sign, he knew what I was. And he just told me calmly to get Jackson out of the woods and to go somewhere safe.” Scott then rubbed his arms in agitation, “And then he told me to tell you Stiles, to be safe and to stay out of the woods tonight, because the hunters are out there tonight. Dude, if he doesn’t know everything, he probably suspects you are at least a Werewolf, if not a Werecat.”

“Oh my God.” Stiles said, still stunned. But, it made sort of a lot of sense. His dad, being the Sheriff around these parts, who was close to the Hales before the fire, probably noticed a few things in his day. God, he’d been so stupid, thinking that he’d have to keep this from his dad to keep him safe. Then again, it was sort of a relief to know that his dad understood a few things. He was so going to have to talk to his dad when he saw him next.

Derek’s thoughts were in turmoil. For one thing, he was glad that the Sheriff was in the know, but on the other hand, where did the guy play into all this? It was all so puzzling. One thing was for certain though, after all of this was said and done, he’d have to go to the station and talk to the Sheriff to get things straightened out. The older Beta started pacing a bit, now that all three boys were sitting on the ground, mulling through their own thoughts.

Jackson seemed to gather his thoughts and started looking around at everyone, as if trying to make everyone out. “And all this time I thought I was the only one here. That was, you know, different.”

“Yea, well, not everything’s about you.” Stiles bitched a bit, but after the glare he received he sighed and let it go. Jackson, though a douche, was a Were-something. He still couldn’t discern what type of animal, but he did know that the jock wasn’t a Werewolf or Werecat, from the smell of things. 

“Were you born a Were-Jackal?” Derek asked softly, coming to a stop, still digesting what had happened.

“Were-Jackal?!” Both Scott and Stiles gaped at the normally stuck up bully.

Jackson had the grace to look a bit sheepish before he shrugged, “Yea, I guess so. I was adopted, and since the folks who adopted me didn’t quite know what to do with me when I turned into one when I was eight, they started checking around. They researched everything, and finally found someone who could teach me control, and stuff like that.”

“Who?” Derek asked, genuinely curious.

Scott and Stiles quickly got over their shock and started piecing things together. It made total sense now why Jackson was a douche all of the time. It wasn’t personal, that’s just the way he was. Weren’t Jackals kind of asshole animals anyway? Stiles mentally snickered, figuring it was ironic that his own origin generated from Wolf-Jackal beings as well as Tigers. No wonder they didn’t get along with Jackson. If Scott and Stiles were ignored by the captain of the Lacrosse team, they called it a good day.

"He goes by Deaton, or something like that. He runs the Vet Clinic nearby." Jackson said, shocking everyone, especially Scott.

"The same dude who's your boss?" Stiles hissed at Scott, who nodded dumbly. "But, how in the hell?"

"I don't know. I guess he could know about this stuff. I mean, he is a Vet, so it makes sense?" Scott didn't sound so sure, but that was ok. 

Stiles breathed in deeply and after a moment, figured Scott maybe right after all. Derek nodded slowly, and said, "He might be someone to talk to later."

“Wait, there is something I really don’t get.” Stiles said, still trying to wrap his head around all of this. “Why did the Alpha Cyger attack you? I mean, don’t get me wrong, who wouldn’t want to push Jackson around if they got the chance, but usually everyone steers clear of him.”

Derek felt something click in the back of his mind as he looked at the disgruntled Jackal. He looked from him, to his pack, and back again. Jackson shrugged, “I have no idea. My parties usually last all night, but the cops came by to let everyone know that there was a curfew being enforced now due to the recent animal attacks. So, everyone left, and I locked up so I could go jogging in the preserve, to you know, clear my head. I figured that whatever it was that was out there would have sense enough to leave me alone. Especially since it was full moon night.”

Leave it to Jackson to think he was God’s gift to the planet. Then again…. “And then in the next minute, something grabbed me from behind and started dragging me through the forest like I was some sort of slab of meat. I had no time to think twice. I shifted, but even as I fought the thing, it kept dragging me. Finally, it got tired of me struggling and started tearing into me. I got a good look at it, and it looked a lot like a rabid tiger or something definitely not normal.”

“That would be the Alpha Cyger.” Stiles helpfully supplied, though he rolled his eyes when Jackson gave him a stink eye.

“Whatever.” Jackson grunted before he went on, “But, then it started dragging me across the street near the Preserve, and McCall came by and then the Sheriff, and that was it.”

Derek growled softly, causing all boys to look up at him curiously. “I think I know why the Cyger attacked Jackson. But, before I confirm my suspicions, I have a few questions for you.”

Jackson nodded, though he still looked confused and slightly irritable, which was understandable given the circumstances. Stiles started bouncing his knee up and down and Derek reflexively patted his head as he passed by, now again pacing around the group. Stiles stopped and sighed, feeling himself relax at the touch of his boyfriend. Scott now had his arms propped up on his bent knees, resting his chin on top. His eyes were thoughtful as he watched Derek pace.

“Did you insult anyone at your party, anyone at all?” Derek started, finally stopping to cross his arms over his chest, his stance comfortable, but badass just in case he needed to be.

Stiles felt himself mentally drooling in spite of himself, but then he quickly turned his attention back to Jackson, who was shaking his head no. “Not that I know of. I just stuck close to Lydia for the most part, but she couldn’t stay the night because she was going to go with Allison to do something tomorrow morning, early.” Then his eyes flickered slightly and he shrugged, “There might have been a few geeks I talked down to, but that’s nothing new. It’s what they deserve.”

Ok, now Stiles felt like punching Jackson. Like so bad. However, “Who exactly?”

“Just a normal group of geeks. They are usually loners, but for some reason they were standing all together at the party. I don’t really remember who they were, except for one. He’s on the Lacrosse team.” Jackson arched a brow, a puzzled look all over his face.

“It was Greenberg, wasn’t it?” Stiles asked, the name feeling like lead on his lips.

“Alpha G.” Derek murmured. “Greenberg is the Alpha Cyger, isn’t he?”

“He could be.” Stiles nodded. He then sighed deeply and face palmed. “Shit, yea, he could be.”

“Tell me about him.” Derek ordered, though he kept his rage from overruling himself. He wasn’t an amateur with full moons. Plus, he had to keep a level head if things went bad. Since they now couldn’t use the Preserve due to the presence of hunters in the area for a bit, he’d have to contend with keeping everyone’s focus on the crisis at hand. Afterwards, he could possibly have the group, including Jackson if he wished to stay, do relays in the subway tunnels to keep them occupied.

“Not much to tell, I’m afraid.” Stiles admitted, rubbing his nose absently. “I don’t really know him that much, just that I have a few classes with him, and that the coach and most everyone hates him.”

“He’s a bit overweight, has horrible acne, is worse than Stilinski at Lacrosse,” Jackson supplied with an expression that looked like he’d just bit into something rotten, “Has ok grades, smells like spoiled cheddar and fish, and recently was emancipated because his parents got killed in a car crash over the summer.”

Stiles and Scott stared at Jackson as if he’d grown two heads. The Jackal growled moodily and bit out, “What?! Just because I don’t like dweebs doesn’t mean I don’t notice things about people.” He then puffed out his chest, “I knew you both had been turned into a Werewolf and a Werecat as soon as you both walked onto the field at Lacrosse practice. You guys really have no idea what you are doing, do you?”

“They’ll know all there is to know about being Weres soon enough.” Derek said, though an irritable look crossed over his face, “Now shut up, Biff, before I tie you down and leave you for the Alpha Cyger to find.”

That shut Jackson up alright, though he gave the older Beta a glower that could stun a bear. Thank god Derek wasn’t a bear. Plus, he was immune to those sorts of looks. He was the king of poker faces, and learned a long time ago not to be cowed by idiots who thought they could pull one over on their betters just because they felt they were special. Stiles and Scott both snorted at the Back to the Future nickname, but quieted as Derek leveled them with a small, knowing look.

“Anything anyone else wants to add about this Greenberg kid?” Derek asked. When no one said anything he nodded, “Ok. While I am saying that it’s almost a certain possibility that this kid might be the Cyger Alpha, we really don’t have any proof. That being said, I want you three to keep an eye on him at school. Also, don’t let Stiles out of your sight, even for a moment.”

Something bothered Derek though. If Greenberg’s parents had died in a car crash over the summer, how was that possible? Were’s usually healed from anything except for a few certain things. Beheading was one of them, or being severed in half. Another was dangerous herbs like Wolfsbane. So, how did the two actually die? One thing was for certain. If Greenberg was the Alpha Cyger, then he just got his Alpha-ship within the last month or so. That would explain why he was so desperate to get a harem or pride.

He was friggin’ lonely.

Still, it didn’t give him an excuse to go off biting random people, and trying to kill someone just because they called you a bad name. His thoughts snapped back to the presence when Jackson piped up, “Why do I have to watch this loser? What’s so special about Stilinski? And why should I take orders from you anyways?”

Stiles face palmed. Scott rolled his eyes and sighed deeply.

Jackson was in for a long tale.

\------------------

After being brushed up to speed with what was going on in Beacon Hills, including what happened to Stiles and Scott, Jackson still didn’t understand why he had to help. As he put it, it wasn’t his fight, so he shouldn’t have to worry about this. But, Derek put him straight by stating politely that if there was another person on hand with this, then the Alpha Cyger and the Alpha Werewolf would be caught sooner, and therefore Jackson wouldn’t be a target anymore.

Jackson gritted his teeth, but agreed finally to help. But, then he left the group, saying that he was fine being in no pack, and unlike Werewolves and Werecats, he didn’t need a pack. He was totally happy by himself. So, after the Cyger Alpha and Werewolf Alpha got caught and handled with, he would kiss the group’s affairs goodbye. He stomped out of the subway moodily, ignoring the fact that his wounds were still healing, and that it might have not been a good idea to leave safety so soon.

Once he left, Stiles let out a growl and smashed his fist into the nearest inanimate object, which so happened to be a subway car. He felt his bones creek under the might of the metal, but Stiles let his body shift a bit so he could ram a huge hole into the car. Not that it did anything good to quell his temper. He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder and he turned to Scott, who was partially shifted himself. 

“I really, really, cannot believe that guy.” Stiles said, sounding a bit gruffer now that his fangs were out.

“Yea, but what else’s new? He’s a douche.” Scott shrugged, finally turning to look at Derek, who gave them both an evil smirk.

“Since we can’t go into the Preserve, we get to dispel our exertions here.” He then whipped out his claws, letting his body shift into that of a mature Beta, causing the other Betas to perk up in interest.

“Who’s first?” Derek asked, giving his lower lip a slow lick with the tip of his tongue, as if he was anticipating a tasty meal.

Both Stiles and Scott shared an evil smirk before they went to tackle their Beta teacher, letting their animals out to play.

\----------------------------------

A few hours later found Stiles bare from the waist up, playfully tussling with Scott as the other Beta tried to get his best friend off of him. Huffing out a frustrated growl, Scott gave up momentarily, going flat on his back on the ground. Stiles rolled off of him and stood agilely, fist pumping the air at his win. He mock posed to show Derek he had trounced Scott, but then noticed the other Beta wasn’t anywhere to be found.

Uh oh. Where did he go? Stiles felt his ears twitch, as he tried to hear the older Beta’s heartbeat. He figured it out too late where Derek was, and let out a growling yelp as Derek tackled him from behind, sending them both to the ground away from Scott. They rolled and tussled until Stiles let out a yowl for mercy. Derek playfully tugged on one of Stiles’ fluffy ears, before he licked it to soothe his teeth marks from the soft appendage. Stiles batted at Derek half-heartedly, finding himself in some sort of ‘pack sniffing highness’. He totally also didn’t mind Derek being on top of him either.

Stiles yawned hugely and rolled over onto his back, not trying to dislodge his boyfriend, per se. Derek grunted softly and adjusted easily to let Stiles curl up next to him. He then waved over at Scott, who was still laying flat on his back, watching them. “Group cuddle.” Derek mumbled, totally not realizing what he just uttered out of his mouth.

Stiles let out a stifled snort of mirth. Seems like he wasn’t the only one in ‘pack sniffing high’ mode. Derek grumbled out a soft, ‘shut up’, but let out a soft rumble of contentment as Scott hesitantly joined the pack pile. They cuddled for a few minutes, before Derek was able to get his head cleared up a bit. “Ok, up. We have to head over to my place for the rest of the night.”

When no one moved, Derek poked both of them in the ribs, causing Scott to grumble restlessly, and causing Stiles to stifle a ticklish squeak. “Unless you want to sleep in the dirt?” He pointed out with arched eyebrows.

That seemed to rouse both teens so they got up moodily, but not before Stiles leaned in and scented his boyfriend blatantly. Scott rolled his eyes but let it go. Like he was one to talk. His girlfriend had hunters for relatives. He had totally found that out when he dropped Allison off at her place. Apparently her Aunt was back in town, and had smelled highly of Wolfsbane. What was he going to tell the others?

Meh, he would so deal with this dilemma tomorrow, when things weren’t so fuzzy to think about. 

\---------------------------------------------------------

Stiles didn’t know what to think of Derek’s place. For one thing, it totally suited him, even if there was a huge gaping hole busted through some random brick wall in the middle of the apartment. However, the rest didn’t look so bad. It looked almost… homey. He sniffed the air, liking that the smell of the apartment was clean and crisp, as if brand new, even if the windows hadn’t been scrubbed, or if the ceiling looked like it had a billion cracks in it. The furniture was new – hell, the whole place had new stuff in it. Derek hadn’t been kidding when he’d said last night that he was going to be going on a shopping spree.

Stiles anxiously looked around, feeling a bit awkward, wondering if he was allowed to touch anything. From reading up on Werewolves, he knew that they tended to get pretty territorial with their things, and tended to not share either unless if it was someone special. And though Stiles knew he was dating said Werewolf, or well, was going to once the whole rogue Alphas shit got taken care of, he felt uncomfortable just acting like he owned the place. It’d be rude if he acted like that.  
Now, if it had been Scott’s place, or if Scott got an apartment or something, that’d be different. Scott was Stiles’ best buddy. Anything went with both boys when it came to sharing, within reason. Scott moved past him to take a look around, and Stiles, not wanting to look like an idiot just standing in the middle of the front room twiddling his thumbs, followed. 

After a few minutes, Derek came out of the bathroom, drying his hair off from his recent quick shower. Stiles nearly drooled at the way Derek’s grey Henley gripped his chest teasingly, leaving the Cyger’s imagination to run wild within his head. The pair of pants the older Beta was wearing hugged his hips, making Stiles’ mouth water. His eyes snapped up to Derek’s.

Shit. The dude had caught him ogling. 

_Who cares? He’s your boyfriend._ His mental hussy interjected, and Stiles blushed. That was true, but still! 

This was the night of the full moon. They had bigger things to worry about. Weren’t there? Derek leveled Stiles with a stare of his own, slowly looking down his mate’s form until he could practically feel the arousal coming off of the younger Beta. A soft cough drew them both out of their thoughts. 

“Where do you want us to crash?” Scott asked, hesitantly, his eyes wondering everywhere except for where the other two were. 

Derek paused to throw his damp towel into the bin near the bathroom and shrugged, “Wherever you feel comfortable sleeping. The couches are pretty comfortable, but there is a guest room upstairs too. It’s up to you guys.” 

Knowing that Stiles would probably want to sleep downstairs near Derek – hell that’s what he’d do if he was at Allison’s – Scott headed upstairs to the guest room, a large backpack of his stuff in hand. Stiles made to follow him, but then let out a small eep as Derek wrapped his arms around the boy’s hips. Derek cradled the Cyger into his hips and possessively nibbled at Stiles’ ear, which was now totally human. Stiles sighed and tilted his head, letting his boyfriend have more access.

“So, you are not ok with us fucking until I am seventeen, but you are ok with me sleeping in the same room as you?” Stiles clarified, his breath hitching as Derek teased a sensitive spot behind his earlobe.

“Exactly.” Derek concurred, finally releasing the boy and moving towards the kitchen. 

“Have a question.” Stiles mentioned, following the older man into the kitchen, putting his hands into the pockets of his dirty hoodie. Shit, he smelled like an outhouse, not that Derek seemed to mind. Still, it’d be best if he took a shower before bed.

_Bed._ Damn, he was going to sleep in the same room as Derek. Did that mean the same bed?

**Hell.**

Derek grunted softly, as he started pulling a few things out of the fridge. When offered, Stiles took up a soda and a bologna sandwich. It seemed like Derek had been very much prepared for tonight. The whole situation was weird and fucked up, but it made Stiles feel all tingly inside at the thought that Derek cared so much. “So, uh, where do you want me to sleep?” 

Derek raised his eyebrows and after regarding his mate for a few long tense minutes, he sighed deeply. “Stiles.”

“Yes?”

“When I told Scott, wherever you feel comfortable, I meant it for both of you to get that. My place is your place while you are here. Eat, drink, touch whatever you want. Sleep wherever you want.” His eyes narrowed as he spotted a blush creeping up Stiles’ neck to fill his cheeks. “Within reason.” He added.

Stiles let out a whoosh of breath and nodded. “Kay.” He said simply. As he headed over to the sofas in the main room, he nearly dropped his sandwich and soda when Derek added, “If you sleep in my bed, shower first, please.”

Oh hell. He was so fucked.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Turns out, both boys didn’t get much shut eye in anyone’s beds. They all cuddled with Derek on top of one of his huge oversized sofas, watching some random horror flick. When asked about the whole ‘cuddling’, Derek had explained that it was normal for full moon nights. They were pack, and so therefore they needed to touch one another as well as scent one another as much as possible during that time. So, Scott stopped feeling so awkward, being in a ‘puppy pile’ with both Stiles and Derek. If it was a normal thing for packs to do, then ok. Just as long as the other two didn’t start smelling like arousal. If that happened, he would so smack them both upside the heads and go to bed upstairs.

Stiles, however, was in total Heaven. He was burrowed in a few soft blankets with his head resting on Derek’s chest, feeling totally content to have Scott’s legs resting on his lower back. This was totally the life. Eyes hooded, he started up a rumbling. Well, it wasn’t quite a rumble, just a contented sound.

Derek blinked and stopped his ministrations of rubbing his mate’s neck and shoulders under the blanket. Stiles let out a disappointed mewl, and quickly settled back into his happy coma when Derek huffed a laugh and started stroking his mate’s shoulders again. Scott mumbled sleepily, “Dude, you are purring.”

Stiles mock growled at him and reached up, flicking one of the other boy’s toes. “Am not.”

“Are too.” Scott insisted, but quieted as Derek shot him a look.

So what if his mate wanted to express himself by purring. Besides, the sound totally settled his wolf, so he wasn’t going to make fun of it, nor was he going to try and stop it. Stiles was safe and happy, and that was good enough for him.

“I’m a cat, so sue me.” Stiles mumbled, before he burrowed more into Derek’s chest.

It wasn’t long before all three fell asleep.

\--------------------------------------------

On the other side of town, in the Preserve, Peter watched the hunters swarm over the Hale house with keen interest. He spotted the normal bunch that he’d seen a few days before. A few Argents, and a few others that were part of their team. However, one was different though. One that smelled like the fire in his old home. A soft growl rose within him as he noted the woman was handling herself proudly, with fitted clothing, boots, and an assault rifle clutched in her hand, propped on one him.

Kate Argent.

So, she was back in town. Pulling back his lips in a silent snarl, Peter vowed to take that bitch down once and for all. He knew she was the one who instigated the fire. He remembered her scent and her laughter. But, not now. 

Now, he had a few Betas to corral. It wasn’t yet time for Scott and the others to come around, but it would be soon. Once that happened, they’d either join him and hunt all of those involved in the fire, or they’d die. Looking around, he spotted Isaac, carefully hidden, and watching the same scene.

Good boy.

Watch and learn.

Peter briefly wondered what Derek would think, seeing Kate back in town. With that thought in mind, he smirked, an idea forming. Regardless, he needed Derek and the others. He was an Alpha yes, but he wasn’t strong enough to take the hunters down. He’d have to bide his time and wait for the most opportune moment.

But, Peter was patient.

For now.

And in time, all of those who had murdered his family and had turned him into this tortured husk of a man he used to be, would be dead. And his retribution and justice would be fulfilled.

As he watched Kate scan the trees nearby, he mentally said, _Enjoy your last hours on this earth, bitch. I hope when you die, you feel everything you did to us. To me._

\------------------------------------------------------

Kate froze, narrowing her eyes as she spotted movement nearby. Chris noted the act and asked softly, “What is it?”

For a long moment, she didn’t reply. Finally she shrugged and laughed, “Nothing. Just me being paranoid.”

Chris nodded, though she could totally tell he didn’t believe her. Not that it mattered. “So, tell me again why you are here?”

“Besides to help my brother and his family?” She teased sarcastically. When Chris narrowed his gaze on her, she just flung her long blonde hair back and said with a small smile, “Figure I’d see if I could help, seriously. Besides, I haven’t seen Allison in a year. She’s getting to be a big girl.”

“She is.” Chris agreed, but then his gaze hardened even more, “And she won’t be involved in this until she reaches eighteen. It’s in our code and rules.”

“And we always follow the code, don’t we?” Kate smirked, but then sighed, “Look, Allison is a smart girl. She might discover things on her own anyways. Maybe you should tell her early so she can make an informed decision by the time she reaches eighteen?”

Chris shook his head. “Absolutely not. I want her to have a normal childhood. And until she reaches eighteen, you will say nothing about this to her. Is that clear?”

“Crystal.” Kate said, putting her hands up in a peace making manner. “She’s your daughter. Why would I screw with your rules?”

Chris grunted at that, but let it go. Right now, they had bigger fish to fry. Or in this case, _Werewolf._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so wow, lots of stuff happening! Jackson being a Jackal, so yea, that sort of messes up the whole Kanima thing, but I assure you, there IS going to be a Kanima. Eventually, just not saying who it'll be. Can't spoil everything for you. Anyways, next chap will be up on Sunday, Nov 10.


	8. Chapter 8: Waking Up and Discussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again peeps for the reviews. It's always encouraging to hear from you guys. Please keep them coming. Anyways, this is a bit of a shorter chappie, but I couldn't help myself. There is sort of a cliffie at the end, but not a big one. So, don't throw the pitchforks at me please! o_o

**Chapter 8: Waking Up and Discussions**

 

Stiles yawned hugely as the sleep fog around him slowly lifted. Blinking his eyes blurrily, he rubbed them and got some nasty sleep crud out of them. He felt like a ton of bricks had fallen on him. Despite all of that, and some gross morning breath, Stiles figured he was in one piece, and was more rested than he ever thought possible. Reality started filtering into his mind, dispelling more of the drowsiness, and he finally took note that he was not on the couch anymore.

Somehow, someone, probably Derek, had moved him over to a nice fluffy bed during the night while he’d been asleep. Blinking a bit more, Stiles sniffed the air curiously. God, the bed smelled like Derek, regardless of if it was new or not. Did that mean that the dude had also slept with him on the bed? Feeling his cock swell at the thought, he absently rubbed his stomach and groin onto the bed. That felt so good. Not being able to help nuzzling his face into some high priced soft sheets, Stiles let out a silent moan of appreciation. His ears twitched as he caught a soft chuckle coming from nearby.

Looking up, Stiles spotted Derek near the entrance of his bedroom, calmly sipping a mug of coffee. Still dressed in grey sleep pants and a nicely fitted white sleeveless shirt, Derek looked wrecked. His hair was still sleep mussed, and his stubble was more pronounced than usual. 

Damn.

Even at ass-o’clock in the morning, Derek looked positively gorgeous. 

Blinking a bit, Stiles struggled to form words to an actual sentence. Shit, it was way too early in the morning to be embarrassed by everything, despite the fact that he was practically humping Derek’s bed. Finally he settled with, “What time is it?”

“Five a.m.” Derek smirked as the boy let out a tired groan. 

“Dude, what are you doing up this early? It’s fucking Saturday.” Stiles rolled over onto his back and rubbed his face, yawning again. “God, are you even for real?”

Derek regarded his mate for a minute before he sighed softly. He advanced into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed near Stiles. “To tell you the truth, I haven’t been able to sleep much since the fire.” His voice was honest, and he marveled that he could tell Stiles this so easily, even without much of a twinge of pain. This ‘mates’ thing Derek was still having a hard time getting used to. But, that was ok. Stiles was here now, with him, in his bed, and listening to him with avid ears. Maybe this sort of thing he could get used to. And he so wanted to get used to this – to having Stiles as a mate. As his.

_Ah. That definitely explains things._ The Cyger thought. Stiles managed to muster enough energy to sit up and scoot himself nearer to Derek, stretching the whole time. “That sucks.” Stiles said simply, knowing from his own experience with losing his mom not to say something like ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘it’ll get better’, because sometimes it never did. Frankly, Stiles had slept better this past week than he’d had in the past two after losing his mom. He figured part of that was due to having someone like Derek around to ease his mind, and the whole Cyger deal also sure as hell kept his mind off of ‘normal’ things.

Stiles reached over and wrapped a long arm around his boyfriend, sighing in relief when Derek didn’t pull away. The older man leaned into his mate’s touch, and allowed himself a few moments of peace. He turned and kissed his boyfriend on the lips gently, not caring that Stiles had epic morning breath, nor the fact that he was still a bit smelly from the night before.

To Derek, Stiles looked beautiful. His buzz cut was flattened in some areas, and sticking up in wild directions in others. His eyes were hooded, still tired and sleepy. And there was even a bit of drool still spotted on his superman sleep shirt. Stiles let out a soft huff of laughter as both heard Scott slam the door to the bathroom upstairs. 

“I never thought that privacy would be a delicacy, having super powers and all.” Stiles murmured as Derek pulled away a bit. 

“It’s practically nonexistent in a pack. However….” Derek paused and listened. 

Both Betas smirked as the sound of the upstairs shower started. Derek put his coffee mug calmly onto the nightstand near his bed. Then he turned slowly and looked deeply into Stiles’ soft brown eyes. Stiles let out a soft meep and felt desire pool down into his groin, making his morning wood even harder. 

“Should I totally ruin this moment and say ‘who’s afraid of the big bad wolf’?” Stiles snarked, backing up a bit until he nearly fell off of the other side of the bed.

Derek’s eyes darkened sinfully, and his fangs grew slightly as he gave his mate a wolfish grin. “It doesn’t matter what you say, Stiles. You can run perhaps, but you cannot hide.” The older Beta then let his eyes flicker to blue, watching as Stiles’ eyes darkened in arousal.

Stiles blushed scarlet, and felt his inner feline push to the surface, letting his own fangs lengthen and his eyes flicker into gold. For one tense moment, nothing happened, and then both boys were moving. Stiles trying to get off of the bed completely, and Derek pouncing onto his mate before he could even think about escaping. 

Derek pinned his mate’s wrists loosely on either side of his head. Staring deep into Stiles’ aroused eyes, it was all he could do not to ravish the Cyger and make him his completely. Not being able to help the temptation to kiss Stiles, Derek leaned in and captured his lips, letting out a soft rumbling, pleased sigh. Stiles tasted like morning breath, yea, but he also tasted like ecstasy. And that made it all the sexier, and desirable. Shuddering slightly, he let go of Stiles’ wrists, and settled himself fully onto his mate’s body. Both boys made soft moans at the feel of being so close to one another. Stiles barely knew where he ended, and where Derek began. It was intoxicating, and almost too hot to handle.

Derek kissed his mate deeply, drowning out his muffled cries and moans. The Werewolf devoured the Cyger’s mouth, swallowing his essence, reveling in his taste and smell. Stiles went limp underneath his boyfriend, basically going along for the ride, though he couldn’t help but arch his hips whenever the older Beta slowly bucked his hips. Derek’s tongue caressed and probed like nobody’s business, and it was all Stiles could do to try and keep up with the pace. 

Derek pulled away and gasped as Stiles suddenly wrapped his legs against the older Beta, making both of their cocks rub against one another’s through their thin sleep pants. Stiles hissed softly and froze, not sure if this was ok with Derek or not. Derek shuddered and fought for control, his wolf wanting to give in so badly.   
It was hard not to take Stiles right then and there.

Letting out a few deep calming breaths, Derek leaned in and nuzzled his mate, trying to reassure Stiles that everything was ok. Stiles sighed in relief and scented his mate, trying very hard not to hump against Derek’s rock hard body. His erection was still very much at attention, and from the feel of things, so was Derek’s. “Too much, too fast?” He asked hoarsely.

Derek huffed out a soft chuckle before he nodded. “A bit, yea. Just give me a moment.”

Stiles absently nibbled his boyfriend’s neck, smiling when the Werewolf started rumbling contentedly. After a moment passed, Derek met his mate’s lips again, this time taking a bit more time to ravish Stiles. Stiles couldn’t help arching his back a few times, and each time caused both boys to gasp in pleasure. 

But, unfortunately, before both boys could get any further, the shower upstairs turned off. With a regrettable sigh, Derek pulled away from Stiles, rolling over onto his back beside him. Stiles had relaxed his legs, which allowed Derek to move in the first place, and now he was resting the back of his head on the palms of his hands. 

Nibbling his lower lip, Stiles finally blew out a shaky breath. “You sure you are going to be able to keep from tackling this,” he gestured to his whole body, “before I turn seventeen?”

Derek turned onto his side and regarded Stiles with a knowing, but sexy gaze, “Tackling, no. Fucking, yes.”

“Ok, we are down to two word sentences. I must have stunned your brain with that make out session.” Stiles teased lightly, though he didn’t press the older man’s buttons. Now was not the time for that.

Not yet, anyways.

Derek rolled his eyes and absently flicked his mate on the nose, huffing a laugh as Stiles swatted at him. The older Beta got up and threw over his shoulder as he left the room, “Go take a shower, or you will have to fix yourself something to eat.”

Stiles stuck his tongue out at him, but managed to get out of bed without tripping over Derek’s comfy sheets. 

\---------------------------------------------------

After a nice, hot shower and a scrumptious breakfast of ‘everything’ omelets – seriously, was Derek even real? – Stiles felt it was past time procrastinating on the whole ‘Scott, your girlfriend’s family are made up of hunters’. However, before Derek or Stiles could bring anything up, Scott did that on his own. 

Scott looked a bit nervous, and with good reason, for he started with, “Guys, there’s something I’ve gotta tell you.”

Stiles shared a confused look with Derek, before the older Beta nodded, gesturing with his fork for the boy to go on. Scott sighed deeply, as if mulling over how he should say whatever it was he was going to say. Finally he blurted out, “I think Allison’s aunt is a hunter.”

Shit. That just brought out a whole new can of worms to deal with, didn’t it?

“Is Allison’s whole family hunters?” Stiles asked Derek, who looked like his appetite had lost its edge with this new development. 

Scott stared at both other Betas in shock. “Wait, what are you saying? That her parents are hunters too?”

“Often it happens in hunter families.” Derek sighed deeply, mulling over a few things. “But, yes, the Argents are a big hunter family. I know that both Chris and Victoria Argent are a few of the main ones. They usually follow a code, but granted, a whole lot can change in six years.”

“Damn.” Stiles mumbled, which pretty much summed up the whole situation, no doubt about it.

Scott shared worried looks with the other two Betas before he said, “What should I do? I mean, I really like Allison. Like really a lot. She’s really something. I’m pretty sure she’s not a hunter. She doesn’t even smell like Wolfsbane.”

“She’s not a hunter, yet.” Derek allowed, but then he explained, “From how things were done in the past, most Argent families don’t expose what they are to their children until they are eighteen. That way it gives their children time to think rationally about if they want to be a hunter or not. Like I said before, things could have changed in the past six years. Then again, are you willing to take that chance?”

Scott scowled slightly, but then he truly thought it over. Was Allison worth it? Worth their pack’s safety? He’d just met her this week. Yea, she was gorgeous, funny, and really smart, and smelled incredible but was she worth the risk? Especially if Allison’s family found out about them? “Wait a second… those were the hunters out there in the Preserve that the Sheriff talked about, weren’t they?”

Stiles regarded his buddy and Derek carefully, his knee now bouncing up and down in agitation. Derek rubbed his face in thought for a moment before he shrugged and sat back in the kitchen chair he was currently sitting in. “Could be. You said that Allison’s a new girl?”

“Yea, her family moved here like not even a month ago. She said her family moves around a bunch.” Scott explained, idly picking at his half eaten omelet. “It would explain it though, if her family is full of hunters. They’d go where the Werewolves are, right?”

Derek nodded. “That could be it.”

“Wait a minute, you mentioned an aunt?” Stiles asked, regarding his pack with worried eyes. 

“Yea, she was there last night when I dropped Allison off. She reeked of Wolfsbane and gunpowder, which totally freaked me out. I might of pissed Allison off a bit, because I made a hasty get away, but what else was I supposed to do? That woman scares me. She looks like she could totally tear into anyone with not so much as a blink of an eye.” Scott mumbled, wrapping his arms around himself to show how worried he was about all of this.

Stiles reached over and patted his buddy on the back, offering comfort in a tense situation. The reality of Scott’s predicament affected them all. If Scott decided to continue his excursions with Allison, then there’d bound to be problems. They’d all be in danger. 

“Did you catch her name?” Derek asked, though a cold pit in his gut was forming at the suspicion that he already knew the answer.

“Kate.” Scott said softly. “Her name is Kate.”

“Fuck.” Derek cursed vehemently, and he stood, nearly knocking over his plate in the process. 

This was so typical of his life. Mother Nature really did hate his guts. Then again, it was his fault, wasn’t it? And now Kate was back. He didn’t have to go sniff her out to know that she was the same Kate that screwed him over, betrayed his trust, and helped get his family burned alive. Guilt threatened to overtake him, but calmed as Stiles asked him if he was ok.

His mate.

Shit. How was he going to keep his pack safe, much less his mate? They now not only had two Rogue Alpha Weres, and hunters, but they also had Kate to deal with. What next?

Finally, he turned and looked at his makeshift pack. Narrowing his eyes on both of the other Betas, he said pointedly, “She is very dangerous. Of all the Argents, she and possibly Gerard are the worst. They only follow the code whenever it suits them. They tend to have an expressive love for killing anyone who appose them. The fact that Kate is here, means that something or someone drew her here. And if she doesn’t get what she wants soon, then I figure Gerard might not be far behind.”

“Who’s Gerard?” Scott asked curiously.

Leveling the boy with a serious stare, he uttered, “Gerard is Allison’s grandfather. Chris and Kate are his children.”

“Why do I feel like this is only going to get terribly worse?” Stiles asked softly, tearing his napkin into small pieces in agitation.

“Because it probably will get worse.” Derek deadpanned. He then told Scott, “I can’t make you stay away from Allison. But, if you want my advice, hear me out. If you continue to date her, it won’t be long before her parents, and especially Kate, will figure out what you are. You will put us all in jeopardy. Sometimes relationships with hunters are ok, if the hunter follows their code to a T. Unfortunately, more often than not, it doesn’t happen like that. I want you to really think about it. About what we all are up against. It’d be better to break it off now, when both of you are still new to dating. To let it go unchecked, it’ll get harder. Believe me, I know from experience.”

So, Derek had dated a hunter in his past? Interesting. Stiles reached over and ran his fingers over Derek’s arm, offering comfort, even if the other man didn’t want it right now. Still, the sight of Derek calming under his touch was enough to ease his mind. 

Scott slowly nodded, digesting what Derek had said. Finally he sighed deeply and mumbled, “I’ll break it off.”

“Dude, not that I don’t mind your tenacity to go ahead and come to an answer now, the fact is, you really need to think about it. How about a week to think it over?” Stiles asked Derek, who shrugged.

“Fine, but a week is all we have. After that, we have to get busy with other things.” Like finding the Werewolf Alpha. They possibly had found out the identity of the Alpha Cyger, but they still had no clue about the other Alpha. And things would get more difficult, now that Kate was in town. 

At least the Sheriff was in the know. He definitely had to talk to Stiles father on Monday. The faster he got himself clean of all of this, the faster his sister could finally be laid to rest, and that the other Alphas were neutralized. He would try to avoid Kate as much as possible, but if she tried to mess with Stiles or Scott, she’d die. Guilt or no, Kate would go down.

It didn’t matter what she did to him, if she ever found him. But, if she threatened his pack, she’d die where she stood. He had a mate now, and a pack, small as it was. And he’d die before he saw them in the hands of Kate.

Scott nodded, “Ok. But, I really don’t think my thoughts will change on this. I mean, Allison’s great. She’s gorgeous, funny, smells incredible, and is so smart. But, like you said, it’d be better to break it off now instead of later.” It was so going to kill him to break up with her, but if it meant the safety of his pack, he’d do it.  
However, Stiles wasn’t so sure it’d be that easy. If Allison was Scott’s anchor, wouldn’t it be total hell taking that away from him? Hence the reason why Stiles had voted to have Scott truly think it over. It was a difficult decision to make, and Stiles wanted to make sure his buddy didn’t regret it. 

“So, now that that’s cleared up. What about my dad?” Stiles asked, pointing out, “How much can we tell him about all of this?”

“I will talk to him on Monday. I know you wanted to probably talk with him this weekend, but please let me talk to him first. I want to make sure he knows that I am not a threat.” Derek said softly, smiling a bit, “At least if he pulls a shotgun out at me, it’ll be because of my own stupid fault.”

“That’s not funny.” Stiles muttered, but let it go. If Derek wanted to talk to his dad first, ok. Maybe it was some sort of leader thing going on. Derek was the leader of their pack in a sense, and therefore probably felt he needed to take care of Scott and Stiles. Whatever. 

“But, ok. Once you talk to him, I have free reign, ok?” Stiles demanded, of which Derek nodded. “Cool. Now, who’s up for some Warcraft?”

\-----------------------------------------------------

After a few hours playing Warcraft, Call of Duty, and some oldies but goodies – seriously, who even had a super NES anymore? – Super Metroid and Mario, both Stiles and Scott left Derek’s place to head home. Not that Stiles or Scott had much to do, since both had the day off from work, and Lacrosse had a rare Saturday off. Stiles left Derek with a hug and a small kiss on the lips, before assuring the older Beta that they’d stay safe and ‘out of trouble’. 

Trouble found Scott and Stiles more often than not, but not today. It was a lazy day, and though Scott hung out with Stiles for quite a while into the afternoon, he left by four to go stop by the clinic to see if he could talk with Deaton about Jackson. Stiles had wanted to go too, but he knew when his buddy needed some thinking time alone, so he let it go.

Huffing a deep sigh, Stiles stayed at home, playing on his computer. He wasn’t surprised however when he caught the scent of Derek outside, below his open window near seven p.m. 

_Creeper._ Stiles thought, though fondly. Derek probably was irritated that Scott hadn’t stuck around Stiles like glue, like he was sort of supposed to, but oh well. Scott needed his own time to think things through. And Stiles didn’t mind the space. Sometimes buddies, no matter if they were best or not, needed time away from each other for a bit. Otherwise Scott and Stiles probably wouldn’t have been friends for very long.

Poking his head out of his window, Stiles caught sight of Derek near the trees next to the driveway and rolled his eyes, smiling a bit. Derek had his characteristic bitch face on, but his eyes softened as he took in his mate’s appearance. Watching him for one long moment, before turning his eyes elsewhere, he snorted when Stiles murmured softly, “Creeper.”

“Shut up, you like it.” Derek teased, though he looked around quickly, senses tuned completely to the surroundings of the Stilinski house

“True.” Stiles agreed, and after a moment of silence asked, “Want something to eat?”

Derek let out another snort, but shrugged, “Sure.”

“Kay.” Stiles quickly flashed his boyfriend a smile before he left his room and padded downstairs to make up a few sandwiches. He blinked as his phone buzzed. It was his dad.

“Yea?” Stiles answered, humming softly to himself as he finished making dinner, absently adjusting his cell so he could juggle everything up the stairs.  
 _“Are you at home, Stiles?”_ His dad asked, sounding worried.

“Yea, I am. I got home a few hours ago from Derek’s.” Oops, wasn’t he supposed to wait for Derek to talk with his dad first? Shit. “I mean, that is… er… fuck.”

_“So he IS in town. Not surprising, considering what’s going on. Ok, is he outside right now?”_ The Sheriff asked cryptically.

Stiles blinked and looked at his phone to make sure the volume was correct. Did his dad just say what he thought he’d said? “Ok, I am not going to ask how you know all of this stuff, but only because I know the only reason you’d call me is because something happened. But, yes, Derek is outside, watching over the house. He seems to think I need him being a bodyguard.” 

_“Again, not surprising. Good. Now, there is something going on. I can’t tell you about it, but I want you to stay in the house and make sure Derek is with you at all times, you hear me?”_ John’s voice sounded stern, but Stiles went ahead and said, “Ok, fine. But, Dad, you sure you can’t give me a hint? I mean, maybe it would help if we knew?”

Stiles didn’t question when Derek was suddenly inside the house, right next to him, murmuring, “Put him on speaker.”

“Kay.” Stiles did so, leaning into scent his boyfriend, letting Derek’s scent waft over him and settle his agitated nerves.

Derek leaned in and did the same, though his ears perked as the Sheriff sighed loudly before finally admitting, _“They found two bodies out in the Preserve. They were completely burned to death. But, it’s not just that, I think one of the Rogue Alpha’s did this. I am not sure why, but it looks like their throats were slashed before the burning. But, that in of itself would be cause to keep you and Scott out of the woods. However, what concerns me is that six teens from Beacon Hills have been reported missing as of twenty minutes ago. They all were at the same party that you and Scott were at last night. All of them made it home, but this morning when their folks went in to check up on them, all of them were gone. It’s as if they just got up out of their beds and walked away. No forced entry or anything like that. Just vanished.”_

“Who?” Derek asked, reaching over to pull Stiles into his embrace, trying to calm the boy down a bit.

Stiles, listened as dread filtered into the pit of his stomach like cold lead. If they all were missing since this morning, then why didn’t their parents report them missing before now? It didn’t make sense, unless they were going by the thought that their kids were just slumming it at other peeps’ houses. _“Matt Daehler, Jackson Whittemore, Danny Mahealani, Lydia Martin, Vernon Boyd, and Erica Reyes. Now, I know that some of these people are your friends, but please stay home until we find out if this is hunter work or Alpha work. I don’t want you or Scott to get taken just because you can’t leave well enough alone, Stiles. And once these teens are found, and things are handled, we are going to have a long talk.”_

Stiles sat down at the kitchen table, phone clutched in his hands, knuckles almost white. Derek gently pried the phone out of his hand and spoke with the Sheriff a few more minutes, trying to get any other detail than what was already given. 

“Shit, Scott. We have to get Scott over here.” Stiles said numbly, absently reaching for the phone.

“He’s safe, and very much here.” A somewhat familiar voice filtered through the air. Stiles snapped his head around and noted that Scott was there, along with his boss, Deaton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yea, what are the boys going to do now? Will they wait it all out, like the Sheriff wants them to? Or will they try and take on whatever it is they are going after? Find out in the next chappie, which will be posted on November 17. =)


	9. Chapter 9: Deaton and More Mystery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, here we go, another chappie for ya! And no cliffies, so *bows* you are all very much welcome. =) Lots of things happen in this chappie, so enjoy.

**Chapter 9: Deaton and More Mystery**

 

“OK, would someone please tell me what’s going on? Because it’d really help. Just saying.” Stiles said numbly, watching as both Deaton and Scott came fully inside the house, the younger making sure to lock the door behind him, just to be on the safe side.

Derek narrowed his eyes at the Vet, feeling a nagging suspicion that this person might be an Emissary. He smelled and moved just like one. Derek had only met one Emissary in his lifetime, when a neighboring Oregon pack had come down to speak with his mother on a private matter. Sometimes other allying packs did that from time to time, especially if the Hale pack had a known full wolf shifter as their Alpha. Talia Hale had been well respected by the Werewolf community, and often gave advice and counsel to other pack leaders and the like.

Still, the encounter with that one Emissary left a big impression. He had never met the Hale pack’s Emissary, for only the Alpha was given the right and knowledge of that person for the most part. Only in very dire times did an Emissary reveal themselves to the rest of the pack. They were advisers, people who kept the Werewolves connected with their human sides. It was safer, by far that the Emissaries stayed outside of the actual pack, as an overseer of sorts. They did go into battle if need be, but only if they chose to. They were loyal to their own Counsel moreso than their packs, but every pack needed to have one. Otherwise that pack broke apart quickly.

The Vet sighed deeply and advanced over to sit next to Stiles, though his eyes rested on Derek moreso than the other Betas. “It seems we have a lot to talk about.”

 _No shit, Sherlock._ Stiles thought, but for once, bit his tongue. He knew Scott’s boss enough to know that the guy was cryptic at the best of times. So, no urging would actually work on this guy. It’d be best to just wait, even if he felt like his patience was almost completely nonexistent. 

“Let’s first start with what we do know. Scott came to me earlier explaining all of your situations.” Deaton explained, noting the hard leveling stare Stiles gave his buddy for doing so. Scott flushed but shrugged, muttering that it seemed like the right thing to do, considering.

Deaton also noted that Derek had not stopped leveling him with an unblinking hard stare since he walked in. He would have to tread carefully with this one. Deaton remembered Talia talking about her mule-headed son. Whether or not Derek had actually grown out of that sort of thing remained to be seen. From what Scott had told him, Derek had helped band the three together in a makeshift pack, teaching both teens control. The past week had been hectic for all three of the Betas, but from what Deaton suspected, is that it would get worse before it got any better.

“And in turn, I will tell you a bit of my situation. I used to be the Hale Emissary.” He admitted, noting that Derek’s eyes finally blinked and he turned to look at Stiles as the boy asked, “A what?”

“An Emissary.” Derek murmured softly.

Deaton went on to explain what an Emissary does for Werewolf packs, and how they supposedly came into being, having their roots in Druid lore. “An Emissary basically helps steer Alphas in the right direction. However, when the Hale fire happened, and Laura took both herself and Derek away from here, I stayed to keep watch on things here.” When Derek looked like he was about to post a question, the older man held up his hand to stop him, “Before you ask, no, Laura did not know about me. Talia came to me a few weeks before the fire, stating that she suspected that someone close to the pack had a plot to kill them.”

Derek stiffened slightly and searched the Vet’s face, wondering how much this guy knew. Stiles regarded everyone carefully, noting the change in Derek’s stance. Knowing that he couldn’t very well comfort his boyfriend without the Vet getting suspicious about their relationship, Stiles settled for reaching under the table and rubbing Derek’s knee soothingly. Derek relaxed, but only just, undecipherable emotions filtering over the Beta’s face. 

“She wasn’t quite sure who it was, but she made me make an oath to protect you especially, Derek. She seemed to have had a precognition that you would somehow live through all of this. I am not sure why. Talia was like that. She seemed to have a sense of knowing when something bad was going to happen. Random as her views were, I had learned to trust them over the years.” Deaton went on, “We never found out who did the fire. But, it had to be someone who knew the Hale pack’s schedules as well as my own. I had an emergency that day, and had to be away from the house to attend a Counsel meeting. By the time I had returned, both you and Laura were already gone.”

It made sense to Derek, that what the man was saying was the truth. Still, it would have been nice to have known that their pack Emissary had been still alive after the fire. Perhaps Laura would have stayed, if that had been the case. 

“Not knowing where you two had gone, I figured I’d go ahead and stay here and start looking at the facts myself. Though I still do not know who did the fire, or who helped instigate it, I do know that six months ago, someone started looking into it again.” Deaton took up his satchel and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

He handed it to Derek, who arched his brows in confusion. Unfolding the paper revealed a photocopy of an article about some Beacon Hills strange animal deaths. One picture showed a dead deer carcass with a spiral marked into the hide. Shit, this was a vendetta. But, who was bent on getting revenge?

“I was asked by the Sheriff about this symbol, and I’ve only seen it in a couple of other cases.” Deaton said softly, leveling Derek with a strange, but knowing look.  
Stiles and Scott both turned their attention to Derek, who explained with a deep sigh, “It’s a vendetta. A sign for revenge. Werewolves use this only when they feel like they have no choice. They go back to their baser being, and use the spiral as a mark to show their prey that they are going on a rampage.”

“The Werewolf Alpha did this, didn’t he?” Scott mused, taking the paper from Derek to look at the picture more closely.

Stiles peered at the picture a bit more too, but then he turned his attention back to Deaton, who nodded. “I believe so. However, I couldn’t give the Sheriff any leads about it, knowing that keeping the Werewolf secret is still imperative. Imagine my surprise a few days after that fact that he comes by again and decides to tell me that he knew all along that it had been a Werewolf who had done this. He just didn’t know what the spiral meant.”

“So, you two have been working together for the last six months on this?” Stiles assumed, thoughts racing back and forth in his mind.

Deaton nodded, though he warned, “I cannot tell you what you want to know Stiles. That story is for you and your father to share. What I will tell you is that yes, we have been working together to try and track down who had done this. Apparently, we weren’t the only ones looking into all of this.”

“Laura. She found out about it.” Derek guessed, “She must have been lured here, but why?”

“What else?” Deaton smiled grimly, “Perhaps this Alpha Werewolf was not one when this all started? Perhaps he needed to steal the power she held in order to have the strength to get his revenge on those that had scorned the Alpha pack?”

“Peter.” Derek stood, his eyes flashing blue in surprise and anger. “That’s the only one who was left alive after the fire besides myself and Laura. But, how? He is catatonic!”

“Perhaps he isn’t as vulnerable as you think?” Deaton stood, sighing softly, “However, if the Alpha Werewolf is in fact Peter Hale, then this complicates things. Apparently he’s not the only Alpha to be in town, is he?”

“The Alpha Cyger is here too.” Stiles murmured, “Great, so we have Psychopath Creeptastic on one hand and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the other. Plus we have hunters. It’s no wonder that kids are going missing.”

“What? I didn’t hear about that!” Scott exclaimed, eyes widened.

Stiles filled both Deaton and Scott in on what the Sheriff had said. Deaton rubbed his chin thoughtfully, though Scott just looked totally confused. “I don’t get it. How could they just have vanished? If no one took them out of their houses, then where did they go, and why?”

“If we knew that Scott, then there’d be no need to label them as missing teens.” Stiles griped at his buddy, but lessened his tone when he noted how troubled his best friend looked. They all were frazzled about this. Deaton was the one who looked the less frazzled. Hell, Derek looked like he wanted to run outside and hunt down everyone once and for all.

That’d be a total bad idea, considering two Alphas, and who knows how many Betas against three Betas and an Obi Wan didn’t even the odds so much. Granted, Obi Wan was awesome, but even he had his faults and weaknesses. 

“Wait a second, Jackson said last night that Lydia and Allison were going to do something together this morning.” Stiles pointed out.

Scott nodded, “I’ll call her to see if she’s seen her today.”

Both Derek and Stiles regarded their fellow Beta warily. Despite being all bent out of shape this morning about the whole ‘dude your girlfriend’s family are like a bunch of hunters and will probably want to kill you’, he seemed ok with calling her. It made Stiles wonder if the couple of hours of solitude today had actually given Scott some inner strength.

Whatever mojo it had given him, Stiles was so not questioning it.

Scott called Allison, and asked how she was doing.

Ok, maybe he SHOULD question it. Stiles and everyone else listened with apt ears as Scott asked Allison if she’d seen Lydia at all today. When Allison replied that Lydia had called earlier this morning telling her she couldn’t make it to the shooting range – apparently Allison could shoot a bow and arrow like nobody’s business – they all let out collective depressed sighs.

Well that ruled out the possibility that maybe Lydia had just forgotten to tell her folks about meeting with Allison.

Scott talked with her for a little bit more, getting a sad look on his face, but then he finally hung up, sighing deeply. It was going to be harder to break up with her than he’d thought. But, if it meant the safety of the pack and of Allison, he’d so do it. Just not on the phone. Definitely not on the phone. Maybe next week sometime. Yea, that sounded good.

Damnit. All of this just kept on getting worse and worse. Wracking his brain to think of any idea where the teens might have gone, Stiles suddenly remembered something. “Derek, you said that Erica and Boyd are your neighbors, right?”

“You’re right, Stiles!” Scott exclaimed. 

“So, maybe if we go back to your place, we can maybe sniff around and find out where their scent goes? Besides, your place is closer than Jackson’s, Danny’s, Matt’s or Lydia’s. Maybe we could start there?” Stiles plotted, totally ignoring the fact that he’d promised his dad that he’d stay in the house. Hell, Derek would still be with him at all times, right?

Derek nodded, figuring it might be worth a shot. He then looked up at Deaton, who said, “Leave the other four to Scott and myself. We will have to hurry. If they are indeed captured by both Alphas in a struggle to get more Betas, then we don’t have much time.”

“That is, if the Alphas haven’t already turned them.” Derek murmured softly. They’d have to be careful regardless. If both Alphas were in fact creating mass Betas, then it stood to reason that both of them might be at each scene. And if Derek had to face off his Uncle… then so be it. 

However, something didn’t set right. Why would Jackson be taken if he’d already been born a Were-Jackal? Did that mean that they were going about this all wrong? 

But, if the Alphas hadn’t taken the teens, then who had? Hunters?

\----------------------------------------------------

Isaac arched his brows at his Alpha, who was sniffing the air curiously. Both of them were in the Beacon Hills cemetery, but why, Isaac had no clue. Peter hadn’t been very forthcoming of why they needed to be there, just that they’d both see it when it happened. The sun was now down, dusk not far off, and fog was starting to mist around the gravestones, giving the place an even spookier look.

Isaac had ceased to be afraid of cemeteries a long time ago. His dad, when he’d been sober and in his right mind had worked night shifts here, but volunteered as a swim team coach for Beacon Hills High School during the day. Sometimes he got sleep in between shifts, and other times he hadn’t. But, every once in a while Isaac and his older brother had tagged along with his dad to the graveyard. Sometimes it seemed safer than staying with a witch of a babysitter. 

After his brother died a few years back, everything changed. His dad took up drinking more, and the abuse started happening. First there was a few slaps, and yelling, and then it turned into locking Isaac up in the basement in a fucking freezer. However, the last week or so things hadn’t been as bad. Isaac still had trouble with keeping his bruises and cuts from healing, but he was getting better at it. 

Now though, he turned his attention back to the presence. 

Peter narrowed his eyes as he finally spotted what he’d wanted to see. Lydia Martin, pristine as ever, but barefoot as she walked near the gravestones, with a dazed look in her eyes. Something drew her to this place, and it wasn’t him or Isaac. 

Isaac drew in a deep breath of shock, almost gaping at the gorgeous strawberry blonde haired teen. “What’s she doing here?”

“I spotted her a few nights ago wandering the streets near the High School, alone and barefoot. It begs to reason that she is being either controlled by someone or being drawn to something.” Peter whispered softly. 

As Lydia headed into the woods, Peter turned to Isaac, a smirk of mischief on his face. “Why don’t we go see what it is that is actually drawing her attention?”

Isaac nodded and followed his Alpha into the forest.

\-------------------------------------------

Erica Reyes blinked a few times, noting that she wasn’t in her bed, nor was she anywhere in the vicinity of it. Where the hell was she? Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and noted that she was in a underground chamber of some kind. At least her hands weren’t tied, nor was she gagged. Feeling her heart speed up, she tasted blood in the back of her throat. 

Shit, she so didn’t need this right now. For all she knew, she could have been kidnapped. She so didn’t need to have another epileptic fit. God, at least she wasn’t naked. She was in her sleep pajamas but at least that helped warm her body, if not her feet or hands.

“Hey there, pet.” Came a familiar voice to her right. “About time you woke up, sleepyhead.”

“Boyd....” Erica mumbled, turning her head slightly so she could look at him. He was sitting propped up against a wall, looking like he’d been taken out of his house in only his sleep sweats and sleeveless shirt. Great. They were both captives.

“Shhh, calm down. No use getting your brain in a twist.” Boyd smiled slightly to her as he reached over and grabbed her hand.

“Where are we?” She whispered, trying to gather the strength to sit up at least. Man, it felt like her head was going to explode. Literally.

For a moment, Boyd didn’t say anything, and then he shrugged, “Not sure. Last thing I remember was dreaming about coming into the woods, and then I woke up here. Really weird, right?”

“Yea, weird.” At least Boyd remembered a dream. She didn’t even remember if she’d dreamed or not.

After a few minutes, Erica managed to scoot herself over to her boyfriend to lay her head in his lap. Though it didn’t help with the symptoms of her upcoming attack, at least it made her feel better that he was there with her. 

“Easy does it. Might as well get it over with, right?” Boyd murmured softly, reaching up to stroke her hair gently, which was twisted in snarls.

Erica hated this feeling of helplessness, but it was her life. It sucked, but that’s the way it was. She just hoped that someone would find them here, before whatever it was that lured them there into these huge underground cages came back. Her eyes flickered into darkness, but not before she told Boyd she loved him.

Boyd sighed and gently propped Erica on her side, just holding her through it. He’d been through this a few times, but enough to know that Erica had absolutely no control. Hopefully this seizure wouldn’t be as bad as the last one.

After Erica’s seizure, and when she started sleeping somewhat peacefully, Boyd noted that they were being watched. Across from their cell was another one, with two boys in it. He recognized both as being two of the most popular kids in school. One he didn’t like very much, for Jackson was a total prick, and he didn’t mind acting the part. The other boy, Danny, looked concerned as he watched them. He was a nice enough guy, Boyd guessed.

Danny nodded to the girl, “She going to be ok?”

“I hope so. Normally she’d have to go to the doctor after a fit like this, but it’s not like we can help it, right?” Boyd grunted, resuming stroking his girlfriend’s hair.

“Yea, I guess not.” Danny then leaned on the bars, sighing deeply, “So, what do you figure, some sort of underground human trafficking?” 

Jackson tensed at that last part, but relaxed when he noted no one was staring at him. He still hadn’t told Danny about his furry little problem. But, maybe it’d be best to wait until after they got out of there. He hoped his dad paid good money to find him. Jackson didn’t like the thought of being out here in some fucked up cell for long, even if Danny was there with him.

The Were-Jackal sighed miserably as Danny started small talking with Boyd.

He let him have at it though. It’s not like he felt the need to talk. He just wanted out of there.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Derek and Stiles searched around Erica and Boyd’s apartments, but the only thing they smelled were the two and their families, no one else. Cops were still swarming around both places, but Derek and Stiles made sure to be extra careful. Derek sniffed the air and searched the apartment complex with his eyes. This didn’t feel right at all. He spotted the Landlady come out and spoke with a few officers.

Fuck. There was nothing there. Nothing at all when it came to clues as to how the teens just vanished.

Suddenly Stiles flailed wildly, pointing over to his dad’s vehicle, which just drove up. “Oh my god, can this seriously get even worse?”

Derek calmly pulled his mate behind the building and ushered him back over to his Camaro. “Stiles, calm down. The situation is fine. We just have to find a different route to scent.”

Stiles sighed deeply and leaned into his embrace before heading for the passenger side of the sexy car. Seriously, Derek’s car was amazing. Too bad Derek wasn’t keen on sex yet. He’d so let the guy have at it in the back of the Camaro. And why were his thoughts going into the gutter again?

Oh that’s right. His mind never LEFT the gutter when it came to thoughts of Derek. Period.

Derek caught his mate’s scent and sighed deeply. Apparently Stiles had a thing for Derek’s car. “Should I be jealous?” He murmured softly as he pulled away from the apartment complex, figuring the next place to go would be the hospital. Maybe he could talk to his Uncle’s nurse or scent where exactly the man’s whereabouts led. It was the only thing they could do at this point. The only lead that they had. They still hadn’t received word from Scott or Deaton about the other houses. Then again, those two had more ground to cover.

Stiles blinked distractedly as he clipped his seatbelt on. He then finally got what Derek was referring to and flushed, “Oh shut up and drive, prude. Maybe you should be very very jealous. This car is like orgasmic.”

Derek snickered in spite of the situation, though he did grip the wheel a bit more firmly. Though he totally wanted to devour his mate in the back seat, or even fuck him hard against the car itself, they had Alphas to chase and teens to find. The other stuff could wait a bit longer.

Stiles settled a bit more in the front seat, feeling the urge to switch on every button known to man, but he refrained, knowing that this wasn’t his car. And though his boyfriend had been tolerant to his idioms so far, Stiles figured that it’d be best not to push his luck. So, he just sat back and looked outside the tinted window, watching the lights pass them by.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Scott and Deaton didn’t find much of anything else at the other teens’ residences. They even spoke with Matt Daehler’s dad, who was worried about his son’s asthma. Scott did catch Isaac’s scent trail from his home to the Preserve, however, so after speaking with Derek and Stiles, the two set out to look there.

Though Derek didn’t particularly know or trust Deaton, he figured it was ok to have Scott with the Emissary. Deaton seemed to be fond of Scott, and very supportive, so Derek left it up to the Beta to decide what to do. Perhaps it would plan out better than expected.

Now, Derek and Stiles were looking in on Peter’s old room at the hospital. Apparently no one had ever reported him missing, which made it almost a certainty that someone was helping Derek’s Uncle. His nurse probably, of whom was currently not on shift. And to think that all this time Laura and himself thought that Peter was completely cut off from the world. From the signs he was seeing now in the empty room, Derek figured it wasn’t the case.

“What do you think drove him to take down Laura?” Stiles asked, trying and failing to be delicate about it.

Derek wasn’t offended though. He knew what it looked like, that his Uncle was somewhere out there making random Betas and basically being a total psychopath. Maybe he was insane. Maybe that’s what drove him to kill Laura. Still, they needed complete proof. And short of actually seeing the Alpha turn into a human, it would be near impossible to get that proof. 

“Derek?” Stiles asked gently when the older Beta didn’t answer him.

Derek looked out the window at the now waning moon. Huffing a sigh, he turned and regarded his Uncle’s chair he often was put in to help with his circulation. “If he did take down Laura, I don’t think he did it on purpose. Sometimes accidents happen. He could have been swayed by the Full Moon and lost control.”

 _But you don’t really believe that, do you?_ But, Stiles knew not to bait Derek at this point. It was bad enough to think that your own flesh and blood was going around killing people, much less your favorite uncle having possibly murdered your sister.

So, Stiles just reached over and rubbed his boyfriend’s shoulder, offering silent comfort. To Stiles, sometimes the little actions are what mean the most to people. Maybe it was the same way with Derek. Derek leaned into his mate’s touch and he huffed a sardonic laugh. When Stiles asked softly, “What is it?”

“Nothing, just….” Derek turned to regard his mate and said bitterly, “If Peter is the one doing all this, then I bet he is having the time of his life.”

That was comforting. NOT.

“Ok, is there something I should know about your crazy ass uncle?” Stiles joked, though inside he really was apprehensive about this possible badass Werewolf lurking around.

Derek shrugged. “Truthfully, Peter is not someone anyone would want to cross. When he was sane, before the fire, he knew how to get revenge by playing games on people.”

“Mmm, sounds like a Loki supporter.” Stiles mumbled with a small smile.

“I wouldn’t be surprised either way.” Derek admitted. He reached down and rubbed the chair next to him, taking comfort in the cold wood. “But, if he’s out and about now, I bet you anything, revenge is just the first thing on his list of plans. He’s cunning, and more ruthless than any other Werewolf I’ve ever met. Even my mother had to keep him on a short leash. But, that didn’t stop us kids from loving him. To think that he is now out there, doing God knows what… it’s bad.”

Stiles hugged his boyfriend gently, nuzzling into Derek’s chest. The older Beta briefly embraced him back before he withdrew and motioned, “Let’s go meet up with the others. There’s nothing for us to find here.”

“K.” Stiles agreed and followed his boyfriend out of the Hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, I can't believe this fic is going on such a different turn than I thought when I started the fic. That's totally alright though. I like reading AU fics that go off in different directions than what the author originally intended. So, I guess I like writing those types too! Hope everyone has a good week, and I will posting on November 24th. =) Thanks again for all of your reviews and kudos. Please keep them coming.


	10. Chapter 10: More Clues and a Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all of your reviews, they make me smile. =) here is a short chappie, but it has a buggering bunch of stuff in it, so you shouldn't be too dismayed about it. Also, canonical character death in this one, and no, I am not spoiling it. So, enjoy. =)

**Chapter 10: More Clues and a Discovery**

 

Peter and Isaac followed Lydia as the popular strawberry blonde made her way almost aimlessly into the Preserve. After a few hours of walking, she suddenly stopped. She was in a small clearing surrounded by tall trees, and for a long time nothing seemed to be happening. Peter and Isaac hid behind strong oaks, waiting with bated breaths. Waiting and watching. 

Soon, another teenager came out of the tree line in front of Lydia, causing Isaac to stiffen in recognition.

Matt Daehler surveyed Lydia with an air of unconcealed distaste. “I thought you told me Allison would be with her.” He told his unseen companion.

Peter gently touched Isaac to stay him from trying to get closer. They could hear clearly enough, and the scent of the Cyger Alpha was very strong right now. Matt, however, wasn’t the Cyger. Peter was certain that the boy was only human. Frail, and perhaps a bit stupid.

His companion finally came out of the trees to flank Matt, shrugging slightly, “So, something came up. Perhaps Lydia knew that she was being compromised. It happens sometimes when you dabble with magic. Next time, say the spell more clearly.” Alec Greenberg stated with a sniff.

Matt gritted his teeth and turned to violently grip the other boy’s shirt. Despite Greenberg being taller than Matt, the smaller of the two seemed to not care in trying to push the other guy around. Matt growled out, “There might not be another ‘next time’. Allison has already started to get hooked on that McCall idiot. I need to have her influenced sooner rather than later. I was under the impression that you’d be the ticket.

Peter’s small intrigued smirk fell as he felt his hackles rise. There was something about this boy that was definitely not human. His scent had just changed from human to something fowler. Isaac said in a soft whisper so that no one but his Alpha could hear him, “The smaller guy is Matt Daehler. The big guy next to him is Alec Greenberg. He smells familiar, almost like the Cyger Alpha.”

“Mmmm I think we have enough proof now to discern who the Cyger Alpha is, don’t you agree?” Peter mused just as soft. His gaze hardened as words were spoken and Matt went off and hauled a huge punch onto the bigger teen. 

“Something tells me that if Matt can get away with punching an Alpha like that, regardless of the species, then maybe he is the person to worry about now?” Isaac suggested, not liking the expression on Greenberg’s face. It looked submissive, almost downtrodden. Like a puppy being punished by his master. What kind of creature was Matt? What kind of creature could do that to an Alpha?

Lydia, to her credit, was blind to all, still in her daze like state, totally oblivious of the skirmish in front of her. Matt slugged Greenberg a few more times before he seemed to figure out that the other boy was unbreakable. “Fucking Alphas think you all are so special, lording over territory like you own it.”

Alec brushed his nose with the back of his hand, showing a bit of blood smearing over his face. He hated being so cowed, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it, yet. Eventually Matt would make a mistake. All Alec had to do was wait for the right moment to attack.

“Well I own this territory. My family has for centuries. Fuck, the only reason why I am letting you and your ilk live is to serve as my slaves. Once your pack is built, I will have unlimited protection against the Werewolves in the area. Protection so I can finally take a mate and settle down. I’ve been in this world way too long without a mate, and I fucking deserve one.” Matt ranted, getting paler by the minute. Soon he tensed, as if finally noticing that Lydia was still there. 

Narrowing his eyes at the boy, Peter stiffened even more when the kid reached up and stroked a long lock of strawberry blonde hair, pushing it away from Lydia’s face. Lydia looked on blankly, as if waiting for instruction. “You may have been useless this time Lydia, but you won’t be after tonight. You will bring me Allison, or your precious Jackal will be skinned alive. Do I make myself clear?”

Lydia nodded slowly, as if she had no other control over her body. Matt sighed softly and said, “Perhaps you aren’t that useless tonight. I am a bit hungry.”

“Oh hell no! Please don’t touch her! Stiles will fucking kill me if she gets harmed!” Alec suddenly moved to stop Matt.

The other teen flashed a sudden crimson glower. “You should have taken the boy first thing instead of playing cat and mouse.”

That was a bit ironic, considering Matt seemed to be doing the same thing with Allison, but Isaac was definitely not going to risk exposure by pointing that out to him. The Cyger Alpha cowered and whimpered as Matt turned his attention back to Lydia. “I will not touch her on one condition. You bring me Erica. It’s time I make me a brand new vampire.”

 _Oh shit._ Isaac thought. He turned to glance at Peter, and the Alpha was now smirking, as if this whole thing was amusing. Tche, if one thing he had learned from being in contact with Peter, is that the man was overly jaded and seemed to enjoy the oddest situations. Peter might be a total psycho, but Isaac figured he wasn’t so different from the Alpha. Granted, Isaac had never seen his family burn alive, but he’d been abused to the point where he really didn’t care about certain things anymore.

As the Alpha Cyger left, Matt caressed Lydia’s hair one more time before sending her away. It really wasn’t her blood he longed to feed off of. Allison’s was the nectar of life. If his plans worked out correctly, then Allison would soon be his. He’d just have to be a bit more patient.

He needed to gather his strength. In order to do so, he’d have to make new vampires. Not many, just a few. Maybe two or three. Once that was done, he’d be able to secure Allison for himself. And if Greenberg did what he was told, then there’d be a pack of Cyger slaves to do his beck and call. 

Peter and Isaac watched for a bit longer, waiting for the apt moment to leave. Peter knew that he couldn’t take on a vampire with just Isaac backing him. Vampires were easy to down if they were unexperienced. But this one seemed to be very old. Perhaps even older than Beacon Hills. He probably had to be in order to camouflage his scent and to be able to walk during the daylight hours. Most vampires that Peter had heard of had problems with the sunlight making them weak and lethargic. So, if Matt acted like a normal student in Beacon Hills, pretty much human like, then he was a strong one indeed. Definitely not someone to be trifled with.

He’d have to be careful even moreso now. Peter turned to regard his second Beta, slowly smiling as plots were thickening. If Isaac was creeped out by his Alpha’s malicious expression, he showed no sign. 

\-----------------------------------------

Alec headed quickly over to the underground chamber he had drawn the four teens to. He still wasn’t quite sure why Jackson was there. Perhaps it was due to the fact that in order to coral a Banshee like Lydia, the vampire lord needed leverage. As for the other three teens, he knew all about their purpose. To turn into drones for the vampire lord. Greenberg again silently cursed his fate, knowing that this was all his fault. If he hadn’t been so drunk with power when his parents died in a freak car accident that had severed their heads from their bodies, then he probably wouldn’t have fallen into Matt’s trap.

Now, he was bound to serve the vampire until either the vampire got heavily weakened or destroyed. Alec hoped that it would happen sooner rather than later. Yes, he’d tried to bond with Stiles out of desperation to have a mate to bear his young, and to have someone by his side to defend against the vampire. But, that all went to shit when the hunters had come and found him, shooting him with all sorts of Wolfsbane bullets. He had almost died from his wounds. Perhaps in his desperation to bind Stiles to him screwed up his chances with the first Beta. Still, he had to try and get the boy to come to him of his own free will.

Greenberg was also starting to realize that threatening didn’t seem to be doing anything besides pissing Stiles and his companions off. But, it wasn’t like Alec could back down now. He needed Stiles, but he had been correct in telling the other boy that he would settle for someone else if push came to shove. Stiles might not be a delicacy he would be allowed to have. Especially since that big brute of a Beta Hale was around him almost 24/7. It was maddening, but in a way Greenberg was elated that Stiles was being protected.

As Alec came to the large prison like chamber below ground, he murmured a soft spell to put all to sleep, so that he would be able to come and go unnoticed. Having a witch in his bloodline as well as the dominant Cyger blood had served his family well in the past, just as it was serving him well in the present. It was strange that he’d never thought to use this on Stiles before. Then again, Stiles was a free spirit and the spells probably would shuffle off of him anyway. Spells usually didn’t work on Cygers due to the promise Anubis gave their jackal wolf ancestors all those eons ago. He had promised that his kin would be protected from any magic that was designed to ensnare and harm them. 

Suddenly getting an intriguing idea, Alec made a split second decision and went over to the cell that held Erica and Boyd. Good, both of them were out like lights. It would make things a bit more easy to deal with. He quickly opened the cell and entered it, careful not to disturb his spell’s web. 

He noted that Boyd was clutching Erica like a lifeline, though the girl looked pale and almost dead. Arching a brow in confusion, Alec sniffed the girl’s scent. Ah… that’s right, Erica had epilepsy. A curious affliction of some humans that made them lose complete control.

That would not due, if his plan were to work.

So, though he could not disobey the vampire lord master, he was able to enact part of his idea. He gently lifted Erica’s shirt and bit down, sinking fangs into her skin, but drawing very little blood. If he was right, and Erica lived still by the time he got her to Matt, then the vampire would drink her blood, still thinking she smelled human. But, the Cyger Alpha was clever, and healed the bite marks instantly, until there was no sign left of his actions.

Erica rasped a breath in her sleep, but otherwise was calm when Alec picked her up.

Making sure to relock the cells and dungeon before he left with Erica, Alec made haste to get back to his master.

In his haste, he had no idea that Derek, Stiles, Deaton, and Scott had just arrived at that moment and were hiding behind thick oaks. All were masking their scent, even Deaton was with Mountain Ash. 

“Should we go after him? I can faintly smell blood. He’s already bitten Erica.” Stiles asked softly, his nose flaring a bit.

Derek shook his head. “I’ll go. You three see about getting the rest of the teens out of there.”

Stiles and Scott were about to argue, but then Deaton nodded, “Very well.”

Pouting a bit, Scott and Stiles watched as the older Beta took off in the direction that Greenberg had taken. Stiles sighed worriedly, but then turned his attention to helping the others. When they got to the underground chamber, they encountered a heavy hex of some sort that was barring them from going further. Luckily they had Deaton with them. Otherwise they might have never been able to free the others.

Still, it did take Deaton almost an hour to get the hexes disabled. “This Cyger Alpha knew what he was doing, that is for sure.”

“That’s comforting.” Stiles murmured, quickly following the others into the chamber.

Stiles and Scott noted quickly that all three teens were out like logs. Though Jackson was rubbing his crotch in his sleep. Rolling his eyes, Stiles snapped his fingers to Scott. “He is going to be your job. I will take the big guy over here.”

“Yea ok, and I guess that means my boss gets Danny?” Scott suggested, and after Deaton nodded, they all set to work, easily breaking into the cells. 

“How can this be so easy?” Stiles mumbled, easily propping Boyd up to lean on him. “I mean, Jackson is like right there. He is a fucking Jackal. So, why didn’t he do anything to help get them all out?”

“Maybe he didn’t want to risk exposure?” Scott suggested, managing to lift the moody sleeping Beta Jackal up off of the ground.

Deaton had a bit of trouble with Danny, but once they got them out of the cells, it was a bit easier to get the former prisoners up and out of the chamber. They rested for a few minutes before hurrying to drag their charges to hide somewhere, and after making a split second decision, Stiles dialed his dad.

“Stiles, what did I tell you about not going into the woods tonight?!” His dad nearly barked over the phone. 

Stiles sighed and ran a hand through his buzz, which had seemingly grown overnight. Perhaps full moons helped accelerate his hair growing skills. Stiles chewed on his lower lip and admitted, “Look, there’s a bunch I have to tell you… that is that we all need to tell you. But, the fact of the matter is, that we found them. We found all the missing teens except for two. We think they might still be out in the preserve. We found all but Lydia and Matt Daehler.”

“Ok, I’ll send a search team out. And Stiles, stay RIGHT where you are. I will be there in a few.” After his dad hung up, Stiles shakily put his phone away, turning to look at the still konked out teens. 

“At least we saved two from being bitten.” Scott said with a small smile as he crouched down next to Boyd.

“Yea well, who’s to say something else might not happen tonight?” Stiles griped, but relaxed slowly, knowing that though the Alpha Cyger was still out there, at least he was relatively safe for now.

His thoughts turned to Derek and though he knew that the other guy could take care of himself, it was hard not to worry about him.

He just hoped that the older Beta would come back soon, with Erica in tow.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

Alec raced to the vampire’s side, not knowing that he was being followed, nor that he was also being watched. Matt sensed that there were two strange presences in the near area, but even he didn’t know what to think of them. One of them smelled strange, almost like burns and death. The other just smelled like pain. Either way it went, he was nervous about being out in the open, so was figuring that he would make Erica a vampire quickly and then get the hell out of Dodge.

Matt hadn’t lived for so long without learning to be cautious and ultra paranoid. You had to be if you were a bloodsucking creature that had an allergy to sunlight. And stakes. And silver.

And it wasn’t the family called Silver either, French myth or no. It was real silver. The metal burned his skin like fire. Thank god his wrist watch and other stuff he wore that had silver hues were either nickel or titanium. The stuff tarnished like a bitch, but it was better than putting peanut butter in between his skin and silver.

Matt sighed in relief and agitation as the Cyger Alpha finally arrived by his side with Eric in tow. Matt, however was no fool. He noted how his servant’s eyes shifted back and forth from the sleeping girl to his master, too nervous to be acting normal. Oh, so he thought he could trick the vampire, had he? Still, the girl’s blood called to him, and as he bit into her throat, he only had to take one swallow to know what had happened.

He threw the girl away from him with a snarl, eyes burning with rage. He turned on his servant, “You spoiled her! You filthy wretch! I will make you pay for that!”

Alec let out a keening cry as he was bit harshly on the shoulder, the vampire’s fangs slashing easily through clothing and skin. He tried in vain to throw the other off of him, but to no avail. The vampire tore viciously into the Alpha Cyger’s shoulder, ripping through skin and bone, until finally he figured he’d given the ridiculous insubordinate wretch his due. He pulled away and spat out the tainted blood.

Alec cowered before Matt, shivering with uncontrolled pain and fear. Matt, in his rage did not notice that others were advancing nearby. Instead, he stalked over to Erica, murderous intent in his stance. Alec whimpered and forced himself to shift into his Alpha form. However, by the time he got to Matt, someone else had gotten to him first. Derek roared angrily, taking down the vampire with a vicious bite to the shoulder. 

Matt let out a snarl of his own and tried to fend off the Werewolf, but Derek had the upper hand, the element of surprise in his favor. He tore into the vampire, hating the vile death smell of the creature, and hating even more the fact that this creature had managed to avoid detection for so long. 

Matt finally saw an opening and managed to throw the Beta off of him, but let out a strangled cry as the Alpha Cyger attacked him, nearly taking a chunk out of his stomach. Despite being heavily wounded, Matt posed as a harder foe to deal with, for he reached over and broke Alec’s shoulder, slamming him into a tree nearby. 

Peter blinked over at Isaac knowingly. “Go help them.”

Isaac nodded, knowing without questioning his Alpha’s motives. This was the chance they had talked about earlier. To gain Derek and the other’s trust. So, he shifted quickly and went to help out, tackling the vampire to the ground.

Blood, gore, and mayhem ensued.

However long the battle seemed to be, the three Weres were still no match for an older, more experienced vampire. And finally, when the vampire figured he’d had enough, he pulled out a hidden dagger and went to slice into Erica, who had started to awaken. But, before the dagger could connect, Alec was there, taking the hit himself in the back of his ribs.

Coughing up a spurt of blood, Alec snarled and gave the vampire a blood red angry stare. And with a loud roar, he collapsed on top of his new Beta, covering her with his body to both protect and hide her from view.

The vampire was about to laugh at his servant’s soon to be demise, but then he got ambushed. Out of nowhere a blur of black fur came across the clearing, and soon it slammed hard into the vampire. Snarls and blurs of fur and blood being tossed everywhere could be heard and seen. And then finally, the vampire lay before a large slightly deformed Alpha werewolf, who politely took off Matt’s head.

Derek and Isaac gaped at the sight, but then soon their eyes fell onto more pressing matters. The fact that there was an Alpha werewolf looking like it still had bloodlust, especially for the almost mortally wounded Alpha Cyger. Something twinged in Derek’s heart and he sighed, knowing that if he didn’t step in and stop the bloodshed, then Stiles would hate him forever.

And he really didn’t want to have to deal with a hateful mate. So, he put himself in between both Alpha’s, crossing his arms over his chest, leveling the Alpha Werewolf with a hard stare. After a moment of indecision, Isaac went over to help the large Cyger Alpha and Erica, who was now very much awake and totally confused out of her mind.  
What the hell was a huge fucking tiger doing covering her with his body?!

Isaac sighed and gently tugged the new Beta out from under the wounded Alpha, who growled softly. However, the Alpha had figured that this Beta Werewolf wouldn’t harm Erica. Isaac may be known to hate people at times, but he did have a soft spot for anyone less fortunate than himself. Erica may be a new Beta Cyger now, but to Isaac, she was still vulnerable. 

Alec laid on his belly for quite a while, though he turned his attention to the Alpha Werewolf and the dark Beta Hale. Both were having a staring contest of wills, that was for sure, and it seems as though Derek was actually willing. But, why would the Beta want to save him? Greenberg had basically almost defiled one of his ‘pack’, and had done anything possible to piss the pack off. It made no sense that Derek would want to protect him.

“Move out of the way, dear Nephew.” Peter murmured as he turned slowly back into human form, naked as the day he was born.

Wow, that was something he so did not want to see. Isaac blinked and turned to hide Erica from the view, though she probably wouldn’t have minded. He stroked her hair and started telling her what was going on, and the fact that she had been bitten.

Erica seemed to not really get what was going on until it sunk in after a few moments. And finally she turned to look at Greenberg, who was now in his human form, trying to pull out the dagger, which was sticking out of his back. “So you are an Alpha?”

Greenberg froze and blushed scarlet, in spite of himself. “Yea.” He murmured, finally managing to get the dagger out without further damaging his lungs or ribs. God, that had hurt.

“Cool.” Erica mumbled, resting her head on Isaac’s chest.

Derek leveled his uncle with a glower that would freak out any normal Werewolf. Unfortunately, Peter wasn’t any ‘normal’ Werewolf by a long shot. “No. Stiles will have the honor of killing the Cyger should he so chose. Not you, nor anyone else has that right.”

Peter smirked at his Nephew, finally looking the Beta up and down appraisingly. His Nephew had grown into a very dominant male, no doubt about it. After a moment of thought, he let out a sigh of exasperation. “You always were a bit mule headed when you got an idea into that thick skull of yours. But, perhaps you are right. I will let him go for now. Should ‘Stiles’ decide not to kill him, then I might take the initiative myself.”

“You’ll have to wait in line.” Derek growled softly, questions running ramped in his mind. However, the time for questions was not right now. Right now, he had to get back to his mate, with or without the Cyger Alpha in tow. And Erica would need to be brought up to speed about their side of the story, since she was only getting a one sided view right now.

Peter nodded and then motioned to Isaac, “Let’s go, Isaac.”

Isaac flushed slightly, but nodded, doing as he was told. For now.

Everyone watched him go, and Derek slowly turned to level the Cyger Alpha with a stern glower. Alec flushed in embarrassment and guilt. Derek didn’t say anything however. He didn’t have to. The message was all too clear. Alec was definitely not high up on Derek’s totem pole. That was for sure.

Then his eyes softened as he looked over to Erica. “You can either come with us so we can explain all, or you can go home and get filled in by Stiles later. It’s up to you.”

Erica blinked up at the attractive Beta and shrugged slightly. “Wait a second, is Boyd ok?”

“He’s fine. Just asleep.” Alec said softly, causing himself to get another glower coming from Derek.

He would have to walk on eggshells around this guy. Most definitely.

Such a joy.

Erica smiled slowly, and said, relieved, “If he’s where you are going, I’ll come too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so Matt got a cameo, but I really wasn't too keen about him in the storyline, so I just had him in for this scene. It does explain a few things, but leads to more questions! Sorry about that! Next chap should be up next Sunday, November 30th. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US. =) BTW, credit of the idea of Erica becoming a Cyger Beta goes to the AO3 user AlecMcDowell, who said it would be awesome if she was a cat. Totally would pan on the whole Stiles being Batman and Erica being his Catwoman ;) So Thank You.


	11. Chapter 11: Explanations of an Elf Warrior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, first off, thank you guys so much for your kudos and reviews. They continue to inspire me, so keep it up! Also, sorry about not posting on Schedule. I totally forgot that Saturday was Nov 30, not Sunday. Plus, when I was able to post on Sunday, the website was down -_- you can imagine my wanting to take a hammer to it a few times. Also, since I didn't have much time with all of the Holiday madness last week to write a nice sized chap, this one will be a bit short. So, sorry about that. Also, there is a bit of a cliffie at the end - just FYI. Other than that, enjoy the chappie. I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday last week (for those of you who live in the US).

**Chapter 11: Explanations of an Elf Warrior**

Hours passed, and the next day dawned, though it felt much like a year to Stiles and everyone else. All missing teens, except for Matt of course, were now accounted for, and had met up with their families. Lydia had already been reported as found an hour or so before the big showdown between the Alphas, Derek, and the vampire had happened. The pack, after a bit of discussion, decided to go ahead and wait on filling Lydia in for now. Since Jackson was technically still in charge of Lydia’s welfare, though she’d probably deny it like a vicious independent viper, he would have the choice of when and where to tell her all. Stiles hated that decision, but he had to admit that there wasn’t much they could come up with that seemed to be a better plan. If they exposed everyone to this delicate matter too soon, not saying Lydia would betray everyone to outsiders, then the risk would still be too great of getting her involved, and potentially into danger.

Lydia would make an awesome ally if and when Jackson finally had the guts to tell his girlfriend about everything. Then again, she might not be so keen on being allies with the likes of Stiles or his pack - especially if and when Scott broke up with her new best friend, Allison. Everyone, including Scott, had different issues to deal with right now.

Stiles, Derek, Scott, Jackson (though unwillingly), Danny, Boyd, Erica, Deaton, and Alec were all sitting in a circular type format in Derek’s living room of his apartment. Alec, though not bound in any way shape or form, was still being heavily guarded by the male Werewolf Betas, and one seriously pissed off Cyger Beta. The Alpha Cyger was still healing from his ordeal with the vampire attack, so he just sat on the floor and nervously looked at everyone, especially eyeing Derek and Scott.

Erica was nestled in Boyd’s arms, and was for the most part resting, though every once and a while she would curiously watch the others, still not quite sure if what she’d been told by Isaac was real. After both Boyd and Erica met up with their families, both of them had been grounded, since they couldn’t very well blame their whole ordeal on some psycho vampire. They had made up the story of going on some sort of secret get together with other friends and lost track of time, and forgetting to leave notes to their parents. It was the best story they could come up with, even if it sucked big time.

Boyd and Erica still couldn’t believe that their folks had bought it.

Regardless of being grounded, the Sheriff had been able to get their folks’ permission to talk with the teens at the station this morning about their ordeals to officially get statements. However, the Sheriff didn’t want any of the teens at the station as of yet. Later perhaps. Right now, he had told Stiles and Derek to get everyone corralled at a safe place, which seemed to be Derek’s apartment, and that he’d be there shortly so he could get the entire ‘real’ story. And in turn, Stiles hoped that his dad would give some explanations of his own.

Derek wasn’t too keen on having so many new faces in his safe haven, but he figured it was the best place to have a pack meeting. Out in the Preserve, the Sheriff had let both Stiles, Derek, and Scott know that the subways were now being watched by hunters, as if someone or something had tipped them off on the Were’s new hideout. It pissed Derek off to no end, especially since he figured he already knew who had oh so graciously tipped the hunters off. 

Damn Peter.

Derek unconsciously growled lowly and caused the Alpha Cyger to tremble in fear. Blinking, he noticed he must have been boring fiery holes into the teen unconsciously. Backing off a bit, he turned to survey Stiles, who was pacing pensively around the circle. The boy had a troubled, angry look on his face, and Derek had to admit that the look was adorable on his mate. However, he understood that his mate had every right to be furious. In fact, Derek would have presented the Alpha Cyger’s head on a platter to his mate, if he had known that Stiles wouldn’t have killed him for it. Stiles may be pissed with the Alpha Cyger, but he wasn’t a killer. 

Weres could pan out two very different ways. One path a Were could take would be to become a murderous being, bent on nothing but maiming, killing, devouring prey, no matter if that prey was considered to be human or not. The second path was a bit harder to follow. In this path, a Were could become a balanced being, one who respected all living creatures, no matter the species, and could live in relative peace, should the hunters nearby follow their codes to a T, and if they had an Emissary. However, though most packs ended up going the second path, some, like Peter, felt they had every reason in the world to slip into the first path. Weres that slipped into the madness of the first path rarely made it back to the second path, and therefore had to be put down, either by other Weres or by hunters.

And Derek knew that despite how sane his Uncle had looked in that clearing, the man he knew as a teen was gone. Peter had snapped during the fire.

And though Derek ached at the thought of having to eventually put his Uncle down, he knew that in order to give Laura justice, and to prevent any other murders, he would have to do it. It would be a mercy if he did so before hunters got ahold of Peter. 

Turning his thoughts to the present, his eyes turned to Scott and Deaton, who were sitting next to each other, though the Beta’s eyes were still geared on the Alpha Cyger, narrowed, and cold. Scott must be letting his wolf control him a bit more than usual, but then again, Derek was feeling just as angry and edgy. Deaton, for the most part looked pensive, as if he too was deep in his own thoughts. Both Jackson and Danny were whispering amongst themselves, but though the human looked a bit confused still, Jackson was seeming to look relieved about explaining the workings of being a Were to him. It was as if a silent, oppressive load was finally being lifted from the Beta Jackal’s shoulders. 

Perhaps this whole thing was a good thing for the Jackal. 

Danny seemed to still be a bit skeptical, but after seeing his best buddy’s hand form into claws a few times, he was slowly starting to believe that Jackson was telling the truth. Boyd, for his credit, was taking everything in stride. He seemed to be more open about the whole Were thing, and seemed not bothered by the fact that his girlfriend was now a Cyger Beta.

Every once and a while Stiles would huff a sigh, the Beta Cyger not being that keen on waiting for his dad to show up. But, it wasn’t like they all had much of a choice in the matter. The Sheriff had the horse’s reins at this point, and until everyone knew what HE knew, pretty much the Weres and humans alike were sitting ducks. It sucked, but oh well.  
Derek finally got tired of Stiles’ pacing and reached out on impulse as the boy walked by him. His hand gripped Stiles’ and the boy absently reached over with his other hand, ruffling Derek’s hair soothingly. Feeling eyes on them both, the boys quickly dropped their hands and Stiles resumed his pacing, a small flush creeping up on his cheeks and ears.

Derek shared a knowing look with Scott before he finally said softly to Stiles, “Stop boring holes into my new carpet. Sit down and be patient.”

Stiles was about to retort, but when he caught both Beta Werewolves’ gaze, he let out an exasperated sigh and sat down next to Derek, but as far away from the Alpha Cyger as possible, with an exaggerated huff. Stiles hated waiting. He also did not like being in the same room as Jackson or the Alpha Cyger. Greenberg, no matter how heroic his actions had been towards protecting Erica from that psycho vampire Matt, still infuriated Stiles. That bastard had tried to rape him, had threatened him and the people he cared about, and had gotten Erica and the others into this whole situation in the first place.

If Stiles knew that his dad wouldn’t kill him, he’d so wail on Greenberg’s ass.

And he figured both Derek and Scott would be the first in line to help him out, should he need it. But, the fact that Stiles’ dad was the Sheriff made things a bit more complicated. Then again…. Stiles slowly grinned evilly, causing everyone except for Erica, Derek, and Scott to blanch. Scott knew that look. It meant that his buddy had just come up with a sinister payback plan. He was reminded again why he never ever wanted to scorn his buddy. Stiles was one scary dude when he wanted to be. Derek didn’t seem to mind either, though he did look at his mate curiously.

Finally Stiles snickered softly to Derek and Scott, “I so can’t wait until my dad finds out about Greenberg.” 

Scott and Derek both cringed at the thought, even though Greenberg would so deserve anything he got from the Sheriff. Sheriff John Stilinski was definitely not someone to mess with. And the fact that he let on that he knew about there being two Were Alphas out there, one of which tried to molest his only son… the same that was sitting in this very room, it made the Betas feel a bit queasy. Not sympathetic towards Greenberg, but it still made them almost want to go protect their family jewels so to speak.

Erica sniggered, her sensitive hearing starting to kick in. Jackson even looked a bit green at the mention of the Sheriff. Despite totally despising the Sheriff and thinking that he was a total waste of space, Jackson understood to a certain extent not to push the man too hard, especially when it came to Stiles. Stiles and his band of losers might not be a threat, but John Stilinski could be, should he ever be crossed. And though Jackson hated bowing down before someone like John, he also knew not to get on the man’s bad side.  
The Sheriff was already pissed and stressed as it was, so Jackson opted to stay out of his way once John got there. 

Greenberg had paled considerably at Stiles’ words and cringed even further when Erica murmured to him, “I so do not want to be you once shit hits the fan.”

Boyd coughed slightly to cover his chuckles, and even Danny had to cover his mouth to hide his smile. Everyone had basically been brought up to speed on what had happened the night before, and Derek had also told those that didn’t know about what had been happening over the course of the past few months. He had left nothing out, of which Stiles was surprised, but understanding. Stiles figured that Derek knew that both Danny and Boyd were in this now, considering both humans had been vehement about knowing what was going on. Danny had put Jackson on the spot, wanting to know everything, and Boyd had gotten his info from Stiles. 

Having both Danny and Boyd in the know was a necessary evil, and Derek had to admit that having them in the pack might not be such a bad idea. Stiles had told Derek that Danny was wickedly awesome with surveillance systems and hacking, and Boyd was an awesome wrestler in school. Granted, Boyd wasn’t popular and didn’t have many friends, but he did know how to fight when the need called for it. 

Jackson still wasn’t that happy about being a part of the pack, but he’d have to get over it.

Danny seemed really interested in being a part of it, and where Danny went, Jackson followed, if just to make sure his buddy didn’t ever get hurt. Boyd was there mainly for Erica’s sake, since the new Beta had to be trained. Once Erica got trained, she would get a choice of whether or not she wanted to stay in the pack or move to a different one.

Derek caught Erica surveying Stiles a bit more closely and he sniffed the air as a precautionary measure. He was NOT jealous. Stiles’ attentions in that area were on Derek’s and Derek’s alone. However, that didn’t stop Derek from checking to make sure he wouldn’t have to worry about possible competition from the new Cyger Beta. After another sniff, he decided that Erica viewed Stiles more of like an older brother to look up to. Nothing more.

Good.

Perhaps Erica would stay because of her connection with Stiles. They were essentially brother and sister now. And Derek had to admit that Stiles would be good for the new Beta.   
Deaton sighed softly and stood, asking if anyone wanted a glass of water. Derek didn’t mind so much, knowing that it was just the Emissary’s way of showing that he was just as unsettled about all of this as everyone else. He still didn’t trust Deaton, but he figured he could tolerate the guy’s presence for now. Everyone watched the man disappear into the kitchen. Once he was out of sight everyone seemed to relax a bit more, even the Alpha Cyger.

Apparently Deaton unnerved more than just Derek. The tension started back up when the man returned, toting a glass of water for himself.

About an hour later, the Sheriff arrived and he wasn’t alone. There was a new deputy with him, one that was tall, slender and looked to be fresh out of college. His eyes were an odd shade of green, but other than that, he smelled human. Stiles tried to remember the new guy’s name. Was it Racer or Tyler? Ah, that’s right, his name was James Chaser. Stiles did a mental victory dance at remembering the guy’s name, but otherwise just leveled his dad and the new guy with worried glances.

Why would his dad have a deputy with him? Was James in the know as well?

The Sheriff looked at everyone indifferently, though when his eyes got to the Alpha Cyger, he all out glowered. Derek shifted in his seat on the couch, knowing suddenly where Stiles got his stubbornness from. John finally removed his stare and crossed his arms over his chest, nodding slowly to Derek. “Ok, first off, I want to introduce you to my new deputy, James Chaser. Like me, he knows about the supernatural. And he is not a threat. I brought him hear just in case I needed backup.”

“Backup for what?” Scott asked, arching a brow curiously.

“Scott, do you really think that I’d let a Cyger Alpha, one who was reportedly responsible for luring unsuspecting human teens and a Were Jackal out into the woods to be used in a vampire’s plot to rule the world not get some jail time?” The sheriff then grunted to Stiles, “But, before I make a list of what I know is happening and what I assume MIGHT be happening in my town, I want to hear from the horse’s mouth.”

“Uh, why me?” Stiles all but whined.

“Because, like always, you are in the middle of things. Care to tell me what’s going on… the whole truth if you please.” John narrowed his eyes at his son, who pouted.

But, then Stiles rubbed his face and nodded, “Ok, yea, I’ll tell you.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Sheriff and Chaser were both silent as they listened to Stiles tell the whole story, though Derek and Scott had to put in their two cents every once in a while. Once that was all done, Stiles just wanted to crawl into Derek’s lap and sleep for a year. But, there was too much stuff to do first, plus it would probably freak his dad out if he suddenly spotted Stiles doing that to a guy six years his senior. Stiles had left nothing out other than his ‘blooming’ relationship with Derek.

And he was definitely glad he hadn’t divulged into that secret, considering that the Sheriff had taken out his gun and was rubbing the girth of it lovingly. Greenberg had nearly bolted for the door and the windows several times, not liking the fact that he was so not on the Sheriff’s most liked list. In fact, John hadn’t had to threaten the boy even once to have Greenberg understand the seriousness of the situation. Finally John sighed deeply and nodded in the waking silence.

Stiles rubbed his head a bit as he regarded the others in the room. It wasn’t that much of a shock to Stiles to find out that Erica, Boyd, and Danny now wanted to chew into Alec like no other. But, the total shock was Jackson’s reaction. Apparently even the Jackal viewed attempted rape as an abomination. He was lowly growling at the Alpha Cyger, and no one was stopping him at all.

Attempted mauling and luring was one thing, but attempted rape was another thing entirely. Apparently most Weres viewed it as taboo and horrifying. It made Stiles feel strangely awed that Jackson now wanted to sort of defend his honor, though he’d totally have to wait in line behind Derek and Scott.

“So, we’ve told you everything you wanted to know. Now it’s your turn.” Derek murmured softly. 

“I originally wanted to just tell Stiles my story, but I know now that option has become null and void, so to speak.” John said after a moment to collect his thoughts. He put his gun away, but even that action didn’t make Greenberg, or anyone else feel any better.

“The truth is… Stiles, I was born about a hundred and forty years ago.” John began, “My parents were from a long line of Elven warriors, part of the Royal Elven Guard.”

 _Oh **shit.**_ Stiles thought, and though HE didn’t pass out from stunned shock, Greenberg did. For someone who was supposed to be some badass motherfucker Alpha, Greenberg was a total marshmallow when it came to certain things. Still, Stiles had trouble digesting the fact that his dad, was an actual Elf. Regarding his dad for a few minutes in shocked silence, Stiles finally sensed it. Oh, his dad was good. Real good.

“A glamour, I should guess?” Stiles blinked a bit curiously.

His dad snickered softly and nodded, “Sort of like that yes.”

“DUDE!” Stiles laughed. “That’s why you were laughing your ass off whenever you watched Harry Potter! Now I know where my sneaky personality comes from!”

“No, that you got from your mother. She was actually bent on discovering whether or not the supernatural existed. She was human, but for some reason truly thought that myths were actual truths. That’s how I met her.” The Sheriff smiled fondly as he thought of Claudia. “She had managed to stumble over a set of Runes near the Guard station I had been sent to once I reached the age of Elven maturity – sixty five. Imagine my surprise when I found a human woman stuck in one of our Rune Wards. It was love at first sight.”

“That’s a beautiful story, but it doesn’t explain how you knew about us Weres.” Jackson broke in, causing everyone to glower at him.

“I hate to say it, but he’s right.” Stiles mumbled, still reeling about the information his dad bestowed on him. Though Stiles knew he should be totally pissed that his dad had kept this info from him all these years, he understood the need for secrecy, even if it meant keeping it from John’s own son. 

John nodded slowly, “I am getting to that.” He sighed softly, “Claudia and I married in secret, for if the Elven Guard found out that I was binding myself to a mere mortal, they would have put a stop to it any way they knew how to. Though times are a bit different now, the Elves still seem to believe themselves above any other creature, especially humans. I knew that I couldn’t give up my immortality, despite what you all must have read in fairy tales or even the Lord of the Rings movies. But, I loved Claudia, and vowed that I would kill myself should she die. However, once Stiles was born, both Claudia and I knew that that vow would have to be deemed as null and void. Stiles needed a parent, regardless of which one. And if that meant waiting to pass into the afterlife later than Claudia, it was ok with us.”

He rubbed his face and continued, “Once Stiles was born, I left the Royal Guard to stay by my family’s side. They were more important to me than any job or status that the Elves could offer me. My family was and is still my life. I joined up with the human police force here, thinking that I had left the supernatural world behind, and had necessarily sealed up my powers and glamoured myself for that purpose. As Stiles grew, I noticed that he being half Elven, was starting to exhibit signs of our gifts. To make sure that Stiles had a normal, human life until he reached an age that he could figure out whether or not if he wanted to live as an Elf, I also sealed his powers. However, the supernatural has a knack for finding me and those that I love. When Stiles was one, Claudia discovered the fact that Werewolves were actually real, by accidentally stumbling on an injured one on the way back from the library where she worked. The injured one turned out to be Talia Hale’s mate, Anders. He had gotten chased down by hunters not in league with the Argents, and was shot several times with Wolfsbane bullets.”

Derek let out a low growl, vaguely remembering the day his dad had come home injured, but alive. Derek had only been seven or eight at the time. He figured he knew where the rest of this story was going, but continued to listen. Stiles slowly leaned back onto the sofa back, letting out a slow whoosh of breath. 

“Not wanting to leave any creature, dark or no, to a painful death such as the one that Anders would be facing in such a short time, Claudia took him to the Vet. She somehow knew that Anders was not human, and also knew that the Vet might be the best place to take him. It was a good thing she did, for Deaton was the one who treated him, and who was the Hale pack Emissary.” John explained, “Deaton treated Anders and he was able to go home the next day. Talia came and visited Claudia the next day to give her thanks, and soon both became fast friends.” He then bit his lip, showing an anguish in his eyes that Stiles had only seen when his dad was thinking of his mother’s death. He figured he knew what was coming and braced himself, knowing he had to hear this. After his mother died two years past, his dad had clammed up and hadn’t been able to speak of her due to grief. And Stiles had respected that, even if he truly did need to talk about her. Sometimes grief worked differently on people. Some people it was hard to talk about their loved ones that had passed on. Others needed to remember their existence by speaking to those surviving people about their fond memories. 

“Their friendship was covert, however, due to the fact that the Argents had just come back in town. And though they supposedly followed a code, Talia did not want to subject Claudia, Stiles, or myself to their scrutiny. Claudia wished it were not so, but Talia was firm in her decision.” John took a deep breath and said shakily, “When the Hale fire happened, both Claudia and I knew that it was a cover up in the system. There was no other explanation for it. How could a bunch of strong adult Werewolves not be able to save their children and human spouses from a simple house fire? The only explanation was that someone close to the family knew where to hit and when to hit.”

He then went on to explain what Deaton had already told Derek, Stiles, and Scott about the investigation. And finally, John ended with, “When Claudia died, I felt as if the whole world had ended. Many a night I had wanted to take the easy way out, to end my suffering, but someone was always there to stop me. That was you Stiles.”

Stiles felt his eyes water a bit and he brushed the would be tears away from his face, taking a few deep breaths before he reached over and patted his dad on the back. Shit, he hated this emotional crap. “So, when you are out there fighting monsters like the batman you want to be, just think of those of us who might be left behind, should you die.” 

Stiles gulped and nodded. His dad sure knew how to twist the nail into people, and Stiles was no different. But, Stiles got the point. He’d be more careful.

Derek stood and started pacing the room, trying to think of anything to say. After a few moments, he figured that nothing needed to be said. Still, he said it anyways, “It was Kate Argent.”

Chaser let out a soft curse, but the Sheriff stayed calm, though his eyes narrowed on the older Beta. 

“What about Allison’s aunt?” Scott asked, arching a brow.

“Who?” Jackson asked, totally confused.

Turning around, Derek leveled the Sheriff with a broken gaze. “It was Kate Argent who burned my family alive. And she used me to do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, lots of shockers in this one. Yes, I know that Stiles seems to not be riddling his dad with questions about his own powers, yadda yadda, but before he really could put forth any of that, Derek let out that shock bomb of his own. So, the next chapter will deal with a bunch of questions being asked and answered, etc. Therefore, the next chap will definitely be longer and about along the lines of being around 10k words. Next chap will be up on *double checks date* Dec 8, which is a Sunday.


	12. Chapter 12: Derek's Story & a Change in Alpha-ship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok peeps, thank you again for all of your kudos and reviews. They make me smile, let me tell ya! Here we go, there are a few surprises in this chappie, and I made sure that it's a good and lengthy one, though it did fall short of 10k words. Oh well, at least it's a nice sized chap. Enjoy!

**Chapter 12: Derek’s Story & a Change in Alpha-ship**

_What? Kate used Derek to burn his family down?_ Suddenly things started to click in the back of Stiles’ mind. The rage that Derek had shown at the party this past Friday night, finding out about Allison’s aunt being in town; it all seemed suddenly too real. This also must be the reason as to why Derek had warned Scott about the dangers of dating a hunter. But, if Kate had dated Derek before his family had perished…. His boyfriend must have only had been 16 when it had happened. Shit… no wonder Derek wanted to try and take things slow with him. Stiles felt a cold pit form in the bottom of his stomach.

His attention moved back to the present, and he both watched Derek and listened with apt ears as the older Beta told his tale. 

Derek took a few deep breaths before beginning, “I was sixteen and stupid when I first met Kate Argent. I was just getting over a death of someone I held dear, a death that I thought back then was my own fault, though my family tried to tell me otherwise. I was wounded, and bitter about life, and so it wasn’t surprising that I’d fall into Kate’s trap when I was out in the woods on a full moon. As a born Were, I had been taught as a toddler how to control myself during full moons, and so my family left me to my own devices on this particular full moon, which was the first anniversary of Paige’s death. They knew my moods and figured I’d want to be alone.”

Derek paused and then continued softly, “My mind wasn’t on where I was going, and I managed to get myself hooked into a Werewolf trap, one that strung me up by one foot. As I lay hanging upside down, I almost wished that some hunter would come by and end my misery for me. I should have known that life is a bitch that we all have to live through, one way or another. I had to let Paige’s death go. I knew this, but I was so young, and didn’t see that. I was hung up there for about an hour, and though I could have easily cut myself down with my claws, I stayed there, waiting for death I guess.”

Stiles yearned to go and take his boyfriend into his arms to soothe the older Beta, but refrained, knowing that Derek had to get this all out in the open. To think that Derek probably had had this bottled up inside of him all these years was heartbreaking. Still, Stiles understood to a certain extent of what Derek was going through. Granted, Derek had had more reason to feel guilt than Stiles about anyone’s death, but the Cyger felt for him and understood at least a bit.

If Stiles really thought about it, he wasn’t so sure if he’d survive all of the guilt that Derek had put up for so long. After two years of feeling an offhand misplaced guilt of losing his mother due to cancer, Stiles had finally started to let it go. He still had days where the guilt crushed him and had him have panic attacks, and sometimes nightmares, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been. Perhaps having Scott, his dad, and Derek in his life all at once now was helping.

Derek paused for a moment to collect his thoughts and finally he continued, idly pacing the room to give his uneasy anguished energy an outlet. It was better than breaking down and bawling his eyes out. Derek had learned early on in his life that though weeping was a good outlet to dispel grief and anguish, it didn’t solve anything. After Paige’s death, Derek had feared that he’d never be able to cry again. And even after his family perished in flames, his heart had been shattered even further, but his guilt had enclosed him like an iron fist. And so, though his grief had been great, he had felt that he’d never deserve to grieve properly for his family. And now that Laura was dead, that guilt was choking him even more. Especially now that he was certain Peter had murdered her in cold blood. Derek felt that if he hadn’t gotten mixed up with Kate in the first place, then his family would still be alive, and so would Laura.

Raising his eyes to regard Stiles, his will to keep calm was almost ripped away from him, in seeing shared anguish, but no anger in his mate’s eyes. Derek so believed that he didn’t deserve Stiles. But, that he’d known from the moment he’d first understood that Stiles was his mate. 

“Kate found me after about an hour, but instead of killing me, like she did with most Werewolves, no matter how old or young, she got a plan forming. She knew who I was, and also knew that if she killed me, then the Hale pack and the Argents would tear each other apart. And though she didn’t care much for her brother or his family, they were still her family. So, she cut me down from the trap and started her seduction.” Derek rubbed his face slightly and explained, “I thought she liked me. And one thing led to another, and I started to think that she was one hunter that was different from all the rest. That she cared. Turns out she was just using me. I told her about my family, of what their habits were, and eventually she started turning on me. But, by then I was too besotted by her to notice the warning signs. And she managed to find a few people to help her with her plan. When the house burned, and the Argents had suddenly packed up and left the same day, I knew. I knew what had happened. I’d been a fool, and had gotten my family killed because of it.” Derek sighed deeply and turned to regard the Sheriff, who was regarding him with a strange look on his face. There was anger, but not for him, though Derek wasn’t sure why.

The Sheriff asked softly in the sudden quiet, “Did you tell her about the ins and outs of your house?”

“No, I didn’t. Just that there were some underground passageways to help us during the full moons. I didn’t tell her exactly where or how big they were.” Derek answered, arching a brow in confusion.

The Sheriff nodded, “Did you tell her what days and times that your family would be vulnerable or without their Emissary?”

“No….” Suddenly Derek understood where the Sheriff was going with this. “But, the fact is, she got close enough to me to find enough information on what to use to destroy my family. I did this to them.”

“No, you didn’t.” The Sheriff beat Stiles to the punch. “You might have told her a few things that aren’t commonly known about Weres, but I can bet you my life on this one. She is an Argent and probably already knew everything you told her, being a seasoned hunter. She was just wanting to have confirmation, and also wanted to see if she could get you to say more. Here’s what I think must have happened. She probably got tired of trying to get you to talk about defenses of your house, and things like that, so she must have been watching the Hale house to find out what schedule you all used. Did she ever come and pick you up for school or meet you near the house?”

Derek nodded, “Once or twice she came close to the house, but I warned her off because I knew that my family would not approve of us being together.”

“They probably would have pressed charges too, seeing that she being a thirty year old at the time had no business being with a sixteen year old.” Chaser added, and Stiles and many others blanched.

Stiles figured that was very creepy. Granted, he was ‘dating’ a 22 year old, but damn, a thirty year old dating a sixteen year old?! That was almost like back in the Dark Ages, where twelve year olds were married off to creepers four times their age. That was just ew!

Derek regarded the new deputy for a moment before he finally said softly, “I had no idea how old she was. I thought she looked to be in her early twenties during that time.”

“It still doesn’t excuse the fact that she preyed on you.” The deputy said softly, then he rubbed his face. 

“Regardless of that, Derek, if she used you and didn’t get what she wanted, she obviously got what she needed to know elsewhere. Either by spying on the Hale house, or by using someone else, it makes no difference as to what she did.” John said. Then he added, “I don’t have to ask you to know why you felt you had to keep this all secret, even from Laura I presume?”

Derek slowly nodded, and Stiles saw that he was struggling to keep from doing something. Whether it was to beat up something or to scream out his frustration, Stiles knew that Derek was about to pop. So, despite knowing what it might look like, Stiles got up and went over to Derek, enveloping the big guy in a hug. 

Everyone was silent as they watched the exchange, though the Sheriff’s eyes narrowed slightly before softening. Why was it that kids nowadays thought that they can pull one over on their parents? Some parents would be fooled, yes, but the Sheriff hadn’t lived for as long as he’d had in the Royal Guard or in the police department without having good observation skills. In truth, John didn’t know what to think. On one hand, he felt sorry for Derek, and was appalled at what had happened to him in his short life. On the other hand, Stiles was his son. And sixteen. The same age that Derek had been when Kate had further screwed up his life. Not that John believed Derek to be anything like that bitch of a hunter, but he was still six years older than Stiles. 

And there was the whole fact about the law in the state of California that stated that this sort of relationship, no matter if it was consensual or not, was deemed as statutory rape – that is if Derek and Stiles’ blooming relationship turned into something more intimate. And though the Sheriff really believed that Stiles was very mature when it came to certain things as a sixteen year old, and that Derek wouldn’t dream of taking advantage of him, this still posed as a big problem should the two be exposed.

Derek nuzzled Stiles’ neck a bit before releasing his mate. He knew that everyone was watching them, but it seemed like the fact that their relationship was out of the bag was the least of their problems. Yes, he had told the Sheriff the glossy detailed version of what happened with Kate, but there was still the problem of evidence. If the Sheriff couldn’t find real hard evidence to go against Kate, barring the hunter/Were facts, then it would be moot point to try and put her in jail.

And there was also Peter to contend with. 

And what the hell were they going to do with Greenberg?

The Sheriff sighed deeply and looked over at Chaser, who shrugged, “It’s your choice and your beef, boss.”

John stood and thought for a moment before he nodded, “I figure you all know that Kate Argent is in town?”

Some, like Derek, Scott, and Stiles knew, but the others didn’t. Still, they knew now. Jackson mumbled, “Fuck.”

Though the sentiment was crude, it summed up everyone’s thoughts. However, Erica sat up and put her hand through her hair, thinking. Finally she said, “Why is she back in town?”

“My guess is originally her thought was to help the Argents if they called for backup, but now I am not so sure.” Derek said, “She could be after me, considering before now I was the only one who knew what she’d done. She probably thinks I would keep all this to myself as I had for six years.”

“But, you told us just now, why?” Boyd asked, arching a brow.

“Maybe I am tired of hiding.” Derek murmured and as he looked at his mate, he swallowed and said softly, “Or maybe I have a new pack I need to protect.”

“And are all of us considered part of your pack?” Danny asked. 

Derek knew he was including everyone, as well as the Sheriff in this, excluding Greenberg and Chaser. Greenberg for obvious reasons. Chaser… well Derek figured no one but the Sheriff knew his background. And until they figured Chaser out, Derek wouldn’t except the human into their pack. Maybe as an ally, but not a part of the pack.

“Yes, if you want to be a part of it. However, we have no Alpha, and the pack has already picked Derek as the stand in lead Beta until either we get an Alpha, or we decide not to have one.” Scott said with a small smile.

“Kill me. Then you will have your Alpha.” Greenberg suddenly piped up, shivering in fear despite what he just said.

“What?! Are you even more of an idiot than you look?” Jackson barked at the Alpha Cyger.

Suddenly some of the other teens started arguing over the ludicrousness of Greenberg’s statement, but Derek was sharing a calm and knowing look with the Sheriff. Finally Stiles stated, “Killing is not on the menu, _dumbass_. Now, if there was a different way to ‘steal’ your Alphaness, then by all means tell us. Otherwise your ass will be handed to my dad to deal with.”

Derek, Scott, Jackson, and Boyd cringed, though Danny looked a bit confused by the threat, and Erica was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Greenberg was afraid of that. He gulped and looked at the Sheriff before he pleaded, “Ok, there might be a way without killing me. You can have the Alpha powers. I don’t want them anymore. Make me a beta or an omega, just don’t put me in the hands of your dad.”

Stiles looked over at his dad, who had his arms folded across his chest, a pensive look on his face. John regarded his son for a long moment before he said, “Normally I would be against having a Stiles as an Alpha, only because of the experience of raising a normal, human one.” Stiles whined out a jilted ‘hey’, but he continued, “However, we might not have much of a choice in this instance. We do still have Peter out there, and if he finds out about Kate, then there will be hell to pay on the whole Argent family.”

Derek nodded, “He’s crazy enough right now that he’d probably kill everyone.”

Scott gaped. “Including Allison?”

“Werewolf retribution usually doesn’t backlash onto other people that are bystanders, but when it comes to insanity… there will always be people caught in the crossfire. Plus, if Peter can use Allison’s close connection with her aunt to his advantage if and when he finds out about Kate’s involvement in the fire, he will do so.” Derek explained.

“Shit.” Scott mumbled, “I mean, I know I was supposed to break up with Allison this week, but I don’t want anything bad happen to her!”

“I assure you my sister and brother in law are very protective over Allison, and won’t let any harm come to her.” Chaser stated softly, causing everyone except for the Sheriff to stare at him in shock.

Jackson put his head in his hands, “Oh my god, you have got to be joking.”

“This is so fucked. Do you mean to say you are Allison’s uncle on her mom’s side?” Stiles asked, eyes wide.

“Yes. And I was a former hunter, if you must know.” Chaser smiled slightly at the defensive stances the group started to show. “Notice I said ‘former’, meaning I am not one anymore. I’d be hypocritical to still be a hunter, when my wife is Werewolf Beta in the Oregon pack.”

At Derek’s stunned look, Chaser admitted, “We were all saddened by what happened to the Hale pack six years ago, but we had no way to contact any of the survivors, if there were any. Otherwise we would have opened our doors to you and your older sister. Our pack was very close with Talia Hale. Until yesterday, I had no idea that Laura was dead or that you, Derek was still alive. It was perhaps by fate or by chance that I got stationed down here to help out in between reassigned deputies.”

Deaton nodded, “Wise words. Do you think I could speak with the Oregon Emissary?”

“I guess so. I would have to contact the Alpha to make sure it was alright with him first. But, he shouldn’t mind since he was a friend of Talia’s.” Chaser sighed softly, “I don’t know if they’d be able to help, but I can check.”

“See that you do.” The Sheriff ordered. He rubbed his hands a bit before he said, “Stiles?”

Stiles nodded, knowing what he was asking. His dad didn’t even have to say the phrase to get the gist of it. “Ok, can we vote on it?” 

Derek arched an eyebrow, and Scott rolled his eyes, muttering, “Dude, just decide already!”

“Yea, Batman, we want to know if we can send Greenberg to the slammer, or if we get to torture him for the rest of his life.” Erica grinned evilly, causing Jackson to balk, since he was sitting on the other side of her and Boyd. He so would have to remember not to get on her bad side.

“Ok ok ok! Keep your panties on, Catwoman.” Stiles muttered, and he sighed, truly thinking it over. Greenberg really didn’t want to go to jail, and Stiles could understand why. He figured Werewolves just didn’t do well in jail, especially if his dad, a so called former Royal Guard Elf was watching over the locks and keys. So that only meant one option. “I’ll take the Alpha-ship, and Greenberg can become a beta or omega. BUT!” He wagged his finger over at Derek, who crossed his arms over his chest and gave him a slightly amused look. “I am NOT going to be a leader. Not yet at least. I mean, I am only sixteen!”

Derek breathed out a soft huff, which sounded like a surprised chuckle. Jackson muttered, “That’s a relief. Stilinski would get us all killed otherwise.”

Danny jabbed his buddy in the side in admonishment, but it didn’t faze the Jackal one bit. Still, Erica reached over and swatted the Jackal upside the head, which caused Jackson to growl at her half heartedly. “Be nice. I for one, wouldn’t mind Stiles being a leader. He’d be better than you.”

“But, Derek seems to be the best choice, since he’s already sort of the leader right now. Also, he has more experience in this sort of thing.” Scott admitted, smiling apologetically to Stiles, who didn’t mind the slight one bit. Stiles so did not want to be a leader. Maybe someday, but not now. He had enough to worry about. Like staying alive, and not killing anyone innocent. And school. 

Plus, he had to talk to his dad after this meeting was over. He needed to find out if he would still be able to have cool Elvish powers, or if the Cyger blood in him overruled it all. Granted, he should totally be freaked out by the prospect of being too powerful, but it didn’t. Instead, it made him feel more confident. Maybe he could be the pack’s ‘Batman’. 

Derek moved closer to his mate and ruffled Stiles’ hair before he finally moved over to where Greenberg was. He reached over and squeezed the boy’s shoulders sharply, causing the boy to shiver in fear. “If anything goes wrong with this, make no mistake, I will filet you alive and give you to Peter.”

Chaser smirked as he watched everything unfold. John Stilinski grunted, “If there is anything left from that, I’ll make sure he’s cursed into hell’s outhouse.”

Scott flicked out his claws and looked at them with a grim smile, causing Greenberg to gulp even more. Erica purred, “I definitely wouldn’t want to be you right now, or ever. Especially if you screw up.” She then said sweetly, “So, don’t screw up, ok? Cleaning up blood and entrails would be totally disgusting.”

Boyd, Danny, and Jackson shared knowing looks before Greenberg choked out, “Ok, you got your points across.”

Stiles rubbed his hands together avidly and said, “Excellent. Now, let’s get this shit done.”

\----------------------------------------

About a half hour later had Scott and Jackson holding down Alec as Stiles sunk his claws into the Alpha’s arm. Derek was standing behind Stiles, and had his hands on his mate’s shoulders, firmly, but gentle just in case he had to restrain the Cyger. Deaton had drawn a circle of Mountain Ash around the four, and was now chanting a soft, but complex spell. Apparently Alec had this spell memorized all the way back from when he’d been a toddler, his Alpha father leery about not having a way to transfer over Alpha-ship in case another Cyger pack attacked. He had wanted to make sure that Alec was well versed in these sorts of spells.

It begged to reason why he had been so valuable to Matt in the past few weeks. Alec was a cavern of knowledge when it came to spells, but so was Deaton. And Deaton still wanted to serve the Hale pack, no matter if only one was left from the original pack he had served years ago. Derek was his priority. And since the Beta Werewolf was his priority, then so was Derek’s makeshift pack, which seemed to be growing. Intentional or no, but it was perhaps a good thing that the pack was getting a bit bigger. If they had to face off Peter, sooner than later, it would be good to have more backup.

Stiles was fully shifted in his Cyger form, and his eyes were locked with the Alpha Cyger’s. Greenberg had relaxed during the course of the chanting, Deaton’s soft voice covering the four in a tranquil mood. The Sheriff, Chaser, and the others were standing or sitting on the other side of the room, just in case something happened to cause a power surge. Sometimes things happened like that. And though unlikely as it was to happen, John was wary about this switch over of powers to cause Stiles’ own locked elven powers to awaken. If that happened, unlikely as it was to do so, then the landlady of Derek’s place not be so keen on having a huge hole the size of Kansas in the roofing. 

Deaton finally fell silent, and after a moment, he asked Alec, “You give your power to a successor, never to have it returned to you. By right you are to be frailer than most, but you will still have a status, though a small one in this pack. You will be bound to the pack’s fate, and you will not be able to betray it. Always you will have to be on the pack’s beck and call, lest you die. Do you agree to these terms?”

“Yes, I do agree to these terms.” And then Alec told Stiles, “You are given my power as an Alpha, as well as the status, so that this pack will be stronger than ever before. You will be able to protect the pack to the best of your ability, and will be the master of my blood and Erica’s. Though Derek will be the unspoken leader, we will defer to you for judgment and everything else that you deem necessary. Are you willing and ready?”

Hell no. Stiles thought, but aloud he said, “Yes, I am ready to lead to the best of my ability.”

“So mote it be.” Deaton stated, and suddenly there was a flash of light, covering both Stiles and Alec.

So bright was it, that Derek, and the others had to clench their eyes shut.

The lights overhead in the skyline burst, and the power went out due to such a power surge. And finally, everything blacked out into darkness. 

When Stiles came to, he was laying on Derek’s bed, snuggled up with the Beta. But, he wasn’t alone. Scott was there smooshed on his other side, and Erica was sprawled on top of them all, with Alec and Jackson at the bottom of the bed, though both were trying hard not to growl at each other. Stiles could sense that Danny, Boyd, Deaton, Chaser, and the Sheriff were all still in the living room talking softly with one another, and from the sounds of things, were watching football of some sort.

Stiles let out a rumbling purr and snuggled more in his ‘puppy & cat pile’. Derek tightened his hold on his mate, though he seemed to be content enough to lay on his back, being the bottom of the pile so to speak. Everyone was trying to touch Stiles or Derek one way or another, and even Alec was touching Stiles’ left foot, and Jackson was touching the right foot, but both were trying to be silent. It was as if they too didn’t want to awake Stiles, lest they get Derek or Scott’s wrath. Erica was a light and soft mass covering everyone, though she had pointedly shunned Alec by not touching him.

Then again, she wasn’t touching Jackson either, but that wasn’t surprising.

Stiles rubbed his face a bit and yawned, not being able to help stretching. Derek grumpily poked his mate in the side to get him to quieten down. The power surge had apparently blew out the whole block’s electricity for an hour, but it was now back up. Though, Derek would have a hell of a time replacing a bunch of the ceiling lights in the main room.

Still, it could have been worse. Way worse.

Derek regarded Stiles sleepily and noted that in his human form now, his mate’s ears now looked a bit fey, and his hair had grown out to fall down his back in brown and red waves. Derek wasn’t sure if Stiles would like the fact that he now had long hair, but as for himself… the older Beta liked it. It was soft and fluffy, and smelled incredibly like cinnamon. 

Before Derek had taken Stiles to his bedroom, the Sheriff had explained that the magic lock on Stiles’ elven powers had been blown to smitherines by the transference of Alpha-ship powers. Therefore, not only was Stiles now a Cyger Alpha, but he was also Elven. To Derek, Stiles looked the same, despite the hair, elvish ears and cinnamon addition to his scent. But, only time would tell whether or not anything else had changed about his mate. 

Greenberg had also passed out, and everyone had left him where he’d fallen in the main room, but after an hour or so, the boy had woken up, weaker than a lamb. Alec had crawled into Derek’s bedroom, which now had all the Betas cuddled around the new Alpha, and had plonked down next to Jackson, though the Jackal had given him a good growl and glower at doing so.

Derek wasn’t so sure he knew why Jackson was now feeling the urge to be in this so called ‘puppy & cat pile’. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Stiles was now an Alpha, and had way more power than any Alpha should due to his elvish heritage. Either way it went, Derek was content to share Stiles with the rest of the pack of Weres, at least for now.

After another moment or so, Stiles settled down and fell back asleep, figuring he’d find out all he wanted to know later. He was so tired and instinctively knew that it was because of the power surge earlier. He was content to rest amongst his pack, not minding the slightest that Erica’s soft hair was tickling one of his ears. 

Oh yea, this pack sniffing high-ness was totally something he could get used to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, Stiles now has long hair and he has his elven powers!!! And he's now in charge, though he defers to Derek for most things, because as he says, he's only 16! The next chap should be up on Sunday, Dec 15. =)


	13. Chapter 13: Waking up and Truly Living

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok this chap is a bit mushy, but I figured there needed to be more Sterek moments, don't you agree? Also, there is a bit of intrigue with the Sheriff and Peter and Isaac. So, enjoy. =)

**Chapter 13: Waking up and Truly Living**

Stiles slept for another few hours, not hindered or awakened by anything that happened around him. Derek was content to let him sleep, but unfortunately all of the teens had to leave, either to go down to the station with Chaser and the Sheriff to give their “statements”, or to go back to their homes. 

Sheriff Stilinski had left Derek and Scott to watch over Stiles, letting them know that right now was a crucial part in the new Alpha’s powers and features. Stiles would probably sleep a bunch in the next few days, and during those times, he would probably change more in his mental and physical capabilities. Granted, Stiles still would be slender, and have most of his normal human features, due to the fact of still being part Cyger, but more Elven traits would begin to exist. His long hair and fey ears had only been the start of the transformation. 

His powers, whatever they might be, would require a great deal of strength to control at first, hence also why Stiles would be extremely tired in the days to come. It was almost as if Stiles was being reborn, and would have to relearn how to function normally on his own two feet. The Sheriff was not particularly thrilled by the fact that Stiles’ Elven powers had been unlocked, but there really wasn’t anything he could do about it besides making sure his son was protected and safe for now. 

And until Stiles finally got his strength back, he would be incredibly vulnerable. Perhaps it would be good to ensure that once Stiles did wake up, that he didn’t get bored. A bored Stiles was dangerous and usually went off after trouble. The Sheriff knew this all too well, so once he got finished at the station, making sure the teens had given their faux statements, the former Elven Royal Guardian went home to pick up a few things to keep his son out of trouble… at least for the next few weeks. 

Though everyone had hoped that Stiles would be a valuable asset to finding Peter and stopping the Rogue Alpha Werewolf for going to tackle the next target, plus taking on Kate Argent eventually, John knew that his son would be in no shape whatsoever to do much of anything besides resting, eating, reading, and listening for the next few weeks. The ‘listening’ part might be a bit difficult for his son at first, but the prospect of knowledge would interest Stiles. Stiles always did very well in school not because it was easy for him to pick up on things, but because he loved learning new things. Even if the subject was more boring than watching your own grandfather snore in his rocking chair, Stiles wanted to learn. He wanted to KNOW things. It was a trait that he got from both of his parents. Elves were naturally curious and craved knowledge. And Claudia, though human, had always been an adventurer herself. 

John went into the attic, saying a soft spell in ancient Elvish to disable some of the enchantments and wards covering a hidden set of shelves near the very back. Despite having most of his powers sealed up, he still had a few spells he could cast to ensure the safety of his family, and that included hiding things that were best left alone until Stiles got to a certain age. Unfortunately, that was now moot point. Now that Stiles’ powers were unlocked, and the supernatural world had ensnared his family once again, John knew that his son would need to know everything, and be prepared for any foe that they might come across. He sighed softly and scanned some of the tomes of various books and journals now revealed to him, resting on those shelves. A thick layer of dust covered all of the books, which made sense considering no one had touched these tomes since he’d moved his family here into this house after Stiles was born. 

Despite having not touched these texts in over fifteen years, John knew each by heart, as if he’d only just read them the day before. Below the shelves on the floorboards of the attic was a large chest, of which he ignored for now. Once Stiles got well enough to train, he’d open that chest, and not a moment sooner. The Sheriff blew the dust off of various tomes and put them into an old, worn, leather satchel. Before John left the attic, he whispered a spell to ensure that the shelves and chest were again hidden from anyone’s questing eyes.

As he started down the stairs, he stopped and tensed as he heard a sound coming from outside. 

Sniffing the air slightly, he could barely make out the scent of forest. Damn. They must have been still looking for him and Stiles. The power surge that Stiles had created only hours ago must have been like a homing beacon to the Elven Searchers. Clenching his satchel carefully, John made a split second decision and went to his bedroom. He pulled out a long duffel that was big enough to hold a body in it and grunted under its weight. He put the long strap attached to the duffel over his shoulder and hurried down the stairs, silent as the grave.

He sniffed the air, noting that the Searchers had still not entered the house, but they were nearby, and he didn’t have time to grab his cruiser. Cursing softly under his breath, the Sheriff hurried into the cellar basement and whispered another spell. Claudia, ever worried about having her Werewolf friends not having escape routes, had suggested that these tunnels be built. They stretched for miles, and ended up on the Hale property, but far enough away from the house that no hunter would stumble upon the tunnels or even be aware of their existence. 

Too bad that the Hales had been trapped in their own home and couldn’t even have the chance to run to the tunnels. Otherwise things might have turned out differently for Derek and his family. It seemed bloody ironic that John was using the tunnels now. After he headed down a set of dark tunnels, using a small flashlight from his uniform to light his way, John whispered another soft spell and caused the entrance to close itself off from where he’d come in through. No need to have the Elves follow him. It was bad enough that he’d have to hike to the Hale house and then try to lay low once he was able to contact Chaser. As long as he didn’t run into any Hunters or deranged Weres or Searchers, John figured he’d be ok.

However, John wasn’t an idiot, nor was he an optimistic man on most occasions. It’s probably where Stiles got his sarcastic personality from. So, when John turned a corner and came face to face with a fully grown Rogue Alpha Werewolf and his Beta, he wasn’t really that surprised.

“Well, well, _well_ … I wondered where these tunnels led. Guess now we know, hmmm Isaac?” Peter mused, smiling eerily in the dim light of the small flashlight. His eyes flickered red slightly, but then went back to normal blue as he regarded the annoyed, but expectant Sheriff.

Isaac looked at his fingernails, which had grown into claws and he shrugged, “Guess so.” He then arched a brow at his Alpha. “You want me to kill him?”

Peter looked the Sheriff up and down for one long, tense moment, before he shook his head with a smirk. “I think not. At least not yet.” He then said to John, “On one condition. You are heading to my Nephew’s aren’t you?”

John felt like rolling his eyes. Was this Alpha for real? Still, he didn’t need to piss this guy off as of yet. True, he could totally break his own seal off of his powers, but that would cause a probable cave in that would kill them all, or it could alert the Searchers of his whereabouts since they were so close by. He just hoped that the smell of wolf and cat overpowered Stiles’ Elven scent so that he would be able to stay hidden for now. The power surge his son had omitted had been a homing beacon yes, but as long as he stayed in the presence of the Weres, the Searchers would have a bunch of trouble trying to find him. 

Once Stiles was strong enough to walk on his own, the Sheriff would have to either take Chaser’s offer and have the pack go to the Oregon pack for sanctuary for the time being until things settled down in Beacon Hills, or to have Deaton create a protective bubble around Derek’s apartment so that they could all train in peace. Unfortunately, Emissaries were not as powerful as Elves. And their wards could be breached easily if found. But, if John put up a protective bubble, then the Elves would sense it a mile away. Small hidden charms and seals were almost undetectable to the Elven Searchers, but when it came to having a large protection spell, the power to make it emitted a scent that was easily found and recognizable.

Bringing his thoughts back to the problem at hand, John said simply, “I figure I could always lie, but Werewolves tend to know when someone’s lying. So, yes, I am going to your Nephew’s. What do you want?” It seems Peter had already guessed that John knew about Weres. Why else would the tunnels lead from the Hale property to the Stilinski house?

“Mmmm… it’s not really a question of what I want. It’s more along the lines of what I NEED. I need a pack. And my guess is that Derek’s pack needs an Alpha. Please do inform my Nephew that he has two weeks to decide whether or not he wants to join me as well as the rest of the pack. I will hold off on the killings, and the research of the fire until then. If he hasn’t reached a decision by that point, I will understand that he wishes to be in his own pack without the strength of an Alpha. And this will be a provocation that will not make me very happy. I may not go after his precious pack, but if anyone gets in my way, the bodies will start to pile up.” Peter said with deadly calm, as if he was talking about the weather. He looked down at his fingers, seeming to enjoy turning them into claws and back to human nails, over and over.

John wasn’t impressed.

But, perhaps it wasn’t Peter’s intent to impress the Sheriff. Despite all of that, the Sheriff nodded. “Very well.” As he brushed past the two, he made sure to touch the Alpha on bare skin, letting some of his spicy scent go onto Peter, undetectable to their sensitive noses, but like a perfume to the Searchers. Granted, the scent wouldn’t do much if a Searcher was a few blocks away, but if the Alpha touched anything, there would be a trail formed, leading in a different direction from where John was going. He made sure he was almost all the way to the end of that particular tunnel before he turned around, asking, “How do I know you are true to your word about the killings?”

Peter slowly turned and shrugged, “You don’t. But I don’t think you have any other option.”

“Perhaps not.” The Sheriff agreed, playing it like a mature, but feeble human. He waved his hands up as if to rid his hands of the two, and turned away. Once he was well away from the two Werewolves he full out smirked evilly.

Two… could play at _that_ game.

\---------------------------------------------------

Stiles for one long moment simply stared at himself in the mirror. He’d awoken not an hour ago, and had felt itchy all over. His body had been practically tingling. Derek had suggested it was perhaps his powers still getting settled on his being, but Stiles wasn’t so sure. Still, it had been a hassle in a half going to the bathroom without Derek and Scott mother hen-ing him at every wobbly step. At least they had balked at going in the actual bathroom with him.

Stiles sighed deeply as he thought of his _mat’ij_ and best friend trying to ensure that he didn’t fall flat on his face. It was nice of them to care so much for him, but Stiles had always been an independent person, and he hated, absolutely hated being ill, or weak. After managing to relieve himself, which seemed to take a very long time doing, mind you, Stiles’ skin had still felt itchy. So, he had nearly fallen flat on his face trying to get into the bathtub. Seriously, how could Derek afford a fucking Jacuzzi in his fucking ass bathroom? The thing looked brand new, and customized. How had the guy even installed it? 

Meh, he was a Werewolf. Derek probably had installed it himself on Friday, and Stiles had just not taken notice of it before. Then again, he was in Derek’s own bathroom, as in, attached to his bedroom. And Stiles hadn’t used that particular bathroom the day before. Turning on the damn thing had been a bit of a hassle, since his fingers didn’t seem to want to work properly, or even have enough strength to turn the knobs. But, once he had gotten the thing working, it had been totally worth the effort.

He had stayed for quite a long time in the Jacuzzi, and though he could sense his _mat’ij_ and Scott nearby, at least they left him to his own devices in bathing. He figured if he fell and knocked himself out, the boys would have their handy dandy Wolfy senses to know it and would come to his rescue. This is one of the reasons why he hadn’t locked the door. Despite still being very virginal about being naked in front of his _mat’ij_ and even Scott, Stiles knew that he was feeling lightheaded and wobbly as it is. No need to lock the door and knock himself out accidentally, causing the Werewolves to break down the fucking door.

He loved Derek’s shampoo and conditioner. Seriously, was this stuff like uber expensive? Tche, it was probably imported from the Italian looking ingredients on the back of the bottle. But that didn’t matter. After washing his long silky hair for what seemed like forever, Stiles quickly made work of the rest of his body, hands still trembling. Damn, he hated feeling weaker than a fallen leaf. And why was he starting to think in terms of leaves and forests?

It must be his Elvish heritage coming into play. Either that or the Cyger Alpha part of him liked the smell of the outdoors more? Shakily, Stiles had stood and wrapped a big fluffy black towel around his middle. And now he was looking at himself in the mirror above Derek’s black marble topped vanity. A face both himself and not himself stared back at him. His hair was long, still brown, but with reddish highlights, like he’d already discovered when first waking up. But, he also had elvish ears, which peaked out of his still damp hair on both sides of his face. Curiously, he raised a trembling hand to feel one of the tips and let out a soft curse. _Damn_ they were sensitive!

Scowling at himself a bit more, Stiles noted that he still had his upturned nose, the same lips, even the same moles. His eyes were a bit more tapered at the ends, but they still were the same soft, honey colored brown. As for the rest of his body, it looked the same, though he was more slender, and not as lanky as he once been. Perhaps his Elvish heritage made for a more filled out, if lean, half-blood instead of a very scrawny Cyger Beta teen? He did notice that his hips were more narrow, and he had friggin curves! 

Turning around awkwardly to peer over his shoulder at the mirror now behind him, he gaped. 

And gaped.

There were cool looking bluish black tattoo-like markings on his back. As he viewed them, he finally took note that the designs were that of two mirrored wings on either side of his back, with a long line of black runic markings gracing his spine in between said wings. 

Shit, did that mean he had actual _wings?_

He pulled up his still damp hair and moved it to the side to view the top part of the runic wings and spinal markings. The wings were depicted as folded ones, and graced his shoulder blades all the way down his sides to curve in towards the front part of his hips. As for the spinal runic markings, those went from the lower base of his spine all the way up to disappear into his hairline on the nape of his neck. 

Though he’d love to see what he looked like as partially Cyger’d out, he wasn’t that stupid. He could barely stand up on his own, much less try to shift without supervision. Plus Scott and Derek would kill him. And if there’d be something left of him after they got through with him, his dad would make sure the job was truly finished.

Still, he did feel very curious about it.

But, he wasn’t one to sit there and stare at his reflection for hours on end, like the beautiful if terrifying Lydia Martin. So, he put on some soft boxers, and did ok with those. However, when he tried to pull on a spare set of blue jeans, thanks to Scott, he nearly hissed in pain at how rough the fabric felt. What the hell was up with his skin? These jeans were his favorite, and had been worn so many times that they truly were the softest he’d ever felt.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Stiles put the jeans aside and tried to put on a t-shirt. When that even chaffed, he bit his lip and wondered what to do. He rubbed his arms a bit, and looked around to see if Derek even had a friggin bathrobe he could borrow. Hell, at least the boxers were ok on his skin. As he thought for a moment, his eyes went to what he’d been clad in earlier. Hell, no wonder his skin had been itching so much. 

Heritage or no, Stiles wasn’t so sure he liked having such sensitive skin. 

He heard a small rap at the door to the bathroom, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. Instead, he flailed and managed to land flat on his back, and his head slammed hard onto the floor. He’d managed to clip the side of the vanity on the way down. Thank God Derek had put a nice, soft black rug in the bathroom, otherwise he’d have a huge headache.

Scott opened the door, but slowly, not really sure what had happened. He had to admit though, when he saw Stiles laying sprawled out on the floor looking up at him dazedly, he had to keep from laughing.

“Dude! I knew you were going to break your head!” He reached down and helped his buddy up, softly asking, “You ok?”

Stiles rubbed the back of his head and nodded as he finally got to his feet. “Yea, just don’t startle me like that, you plebian.”

Scott snorted and was nearly bowled over by Derek, who had been in the kitchen, fixing dinner for the three of them. Derek growled lowly at Scott, and the Beta arched a brow, but let go of Stiles so Derek could take over. Stiles flushed as he was suddenly manhandled into Derek’s arms, his face squished into the Beta’s wonderfully toned chest. Oh god, Derek smelled sooooo good. 

Stiles nuzzled Derek’s chest a bit, just to rub his face into that awesome scent. Derek grunted and after a strange, awkward moment, Derek turned slightly and threw over his shoulder at Scott, “Go in the kitchen and get a wetted washcloth.”

When Stiles and Scott were about to protest, Stiles finally figured out why Derek was so freaked out. A bit of wetness was falling down his face. He raised a shaky hand and touched the wetness. Looking at his fingers dazedly he blinked a few times before finally comprehending that it was blood. He was bleeding. But he’d only clipped the edge of the vanity slightly, not by much, and only had jarred the back of his head in the fall, so why had his skin broken open like that?

Scott, gaped in horror and realization, before he bolted into action, fleeing to the kitchen at top speed.

“Derek….” Stiles mumbled, trying to think of a coherent sentence. Why were his thoughts so fuzzy now?

Derek murmured against his hair, “Shhh… it’s going to be ok.”

Stiles blinked a few more times and finally looked up to meet Derek’s worried hazel gaze. “What’s happening to me?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Stiles.” Derek said softly, though the way he said it almost seemed like he was also trying to convince himself. “You are just very weak right now. Your Elven heritage has to mature. The Sheriff said you’d be really vulnerable and lethargic for a few weeks. He said it was a normal side affect for having your powers sealed up for so long.”

Stiles for a moment said nothing, and then he dazedly watched as Scott came back, washcloth in tow. Derek took it from Scott and gently dabbed the blood away from his face. Yet Stiles didn’t feel any pain. Just a bit of an ache at his hairline. Derek huffed and promptly, but carefully picked Stiles up and sat him on the vanity so the new Alpha could rest. 

“I thought I’d get better faster, because of… you know, the Alpha powers.” Stiles said numbly, trying to blink away the sparklie things that usually came right before a migraine or panic attack.

Derek grunted and shook his head, washing out the cloth and pressing it gently against his mate’s wound. Skull wounds always seemed to bleed more, and hurt less. It looks like Stiles hadn’t hurt himself too bad, just smacked his head against the edge of the vanity a bit on the way down to the ground. He finished dabbing it, and the blood was starting to clot, Stiles Cyger abilities coming into play at least.

That was good.

Still, both Derek and Scott would have to be more careful with Stiles. Stiles may think that he can do certain things on his own, and perhaps he could. But, it would be better for everyone in the long run if accidents like this were prevented. Derek finally leveled Stiles with a softened gaze. “Alpha powers are well and good, but your body probably wasn’t prepared for both an onslaught of that and your Elven powers being unlocked. You have to be more careful.”

Scott wrinkled his nose, noting that he so did not want to be in the same vicinity as these two if they were going to make cow eyes at each other. Besides, Stiles seemed to be ok, and in good hands. So, Scott went into the living room to watch some football, and to give the two some privacy. Well, as much as a Were could give his pack-mates privacy.

“I understand, _mat’ij._ ” Stiles murmured, snorting a bit. When Derek arched a brow at him, Stiles said, “What was that about getting Scott to run to the kitchen for a friggin washcloth? Don’t you use them in your bathroom?”

Derek looked a bit sheepish and admitted, “I need to buy more. I only bought some for the kitchen and the guest bathroom. I guess I was so frazzled buying so much crap I forgot to buy some things for myself.”

Stiles reached up and stroked Derek’s hair, causing the man to lean into his touch. “You are always doing things for others. Protecting them, providing for them. You sound more of an Alpha than I could ever be.”

Derek rested his hands on either side of Stiles, leaning in to scent his mate gently. Stiles let out a soft purr of contentment and did the same, though he was mindful of his head wound, which though almost healed, was now starting to throb. “What did you call me before hand?” Derek asked softly, curious as he pulled away slightly.

Stiles arched a brow in confusion. And then he blinked, eyes going wide in realization. “I called you _mat’ij._ ”

“What does it mean?” Derek asked, though he had a sneaky suspicion that Stiles had no idea.

He wasn’t disappointed. Stiles nibbled his lip and truly thought about it. Finally he shrugged, “I am not sure what it means. It just seemed right to call you it.”

“Ah.” Derek sighed, figuring that Stiles wasn’t the only one who was going to have to sit the Sheriff down and ask him a hundred of questions.

Stiles suddenly got a funny look on his face. “You know, Legolas, Celeborn, Haldir are all badasses and so are Thranduil and a bunch of the other elves from the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. So, why do I get the body that looks like a cross between a male Arwen and Elrond’s advisor Lindir? I mean, don’t get me wrong, Arwen was one hot chic, and Lindir is a hot elf too, but REALLY? Does this mean my dad really looks like fucking _Elrond?”_

The sound of Scott laughing his fucking head off came filtering in through the walls, and Stiles flushed angrily, shouting out, “Oh SHUT up you fucking _**TWAT!**_ ”

He turned and leveled Derek with a hard stare, and his boyfriend, though the king of poker faces, couldn’t help but crack a smirk. But, instead of laughing, he leaned in and pecked his mate on the lips and said huskily, “It doesn’t matter to me what you look like. I’d still want you. Besides, I thought you were badass just as Stiles. So everything else is just icing on one very savory cake. However, you do make one very beautiful Elf/Cyger Alpha. Peter Jackson’s portrayal of Tolkien’s Elves are nothing compared to you.”

 _Holy fucking shit._ Stiles thought, stunned. Eyes wide, and cheeks flushed all the way up to his fey ears, the new Alpha was momentarily speechless. Finally he gulped and poked his boyfriend in the chest. “Since when did you get such heartbreakingly sweet verbiage?”

Derek slowly smirked, though he honestly said, “Since I met you.”

Awww.  
Derek then regarded his mates form and said softly, “Do you think you can get dressed, or do you want my help?”

It was an honest question, but to a teenaged boy, one that was hornier than all get out, it was a gutter statement. Stiles flushed a bit more and crossed his arms across his chest, finally realizing he was still half naked. Despite getting changed a bit and having a bit of a fairer appearance, Stiles was still very modest when it came to showing off anything, regardless of what it was.

He then remembered something. Shyly he admitted, “The spare clothes I brought with me irritate my skin. I am not sure if I am allergic to cotton or what, but it itches.”

Derek nodded, and gently pecked his mate’s forehead. “I think I might have just the thing for you then. Wait here.”

Stiles arched a delicate eyebrow and huffed a sigh as he watched his _mat’ij_ walk out of the bathroom. After a minute, he got curious, so he got down from the vanity, though his legs were still wobbly. He slowly made his way out of the bathroom and noted that Derek was going through some stuff in his closet. The older man finally came out with a soft pair of leather looking pants and a soft, black silky button up. Not really Stiles’ style, but perhaps they would do. He looked up and spotted Stiles, and gestured to the clothes. Stiles wrinkled his nose at the pants, not liking the smell of dead cow, but figuring there wasn’t much of a different option besides walking around in boxers all day. He put on the pants and noted with relief that they didn’t chafe or itch, though they were a bit big on him. The silky shirt, though big on him, however, felt like sex on his skin. It also smelled like Derek.

Derek pulled his mate into his arms gently and nuzzled his neck, breathing his cinnamon tinted scent. “Mine.” He murmured possessively, and Stiles totally agreed with that statement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot! Past 90k words! *flails* I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Also, you all will find out what mat'ij means (and how it is pronounced) in the next chapter. I bet you guys can guess what it means. ;) The next chapter will be up on Sunday, Dec 22nd. And the references to the LOTR and Hobbit characters I so could NOT resist. I LOVED THEM ALL. I also managed to see Hobbit 2 this past weekend 4 times. So worth the wait. I can't wait for the next one. Too bad we have to wait a whole year for it. Oh well. =) BTW, Lee Pace plays a very attractive sassy Thranduil. He was excellent. I am hoping he will have more screen time in the next movie. I already saw some stuff that suggest he will be in battles. *dies* And Legolas was total BAMF in this movie. Totally inspires me to write more on my Legolas/OC slash fic called Forever or Never on ff.net =) Anyways, I have blabbed way too much. I just had to do my Hobbit mental flail for a bit. Hope you guys have a good week. =D


	14. Chapter: Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I gotta say, is DAYUM this chapter is HOT. Just saying *fans self* HOLY SCHNIKIES. Anyways, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Hope you like my Christmas pressie below. Enjoy ;)

**Chapter 14: Decisions**

A few hours later had the Sheriff finally exiting the tunnels on the Hale property, almost wishing that he’d left the huge duffel at home. However, he was glad he had brought it, just in case he got himself into trouble with hunters and the like. Sniffing the air, the former Royal Elven Guardian took comfort in the fact that there was no scent of Elvish Searchers nearby. Still, he did catch a whiff of humans. 

And of Wolfsbane.

Shit. Taking a moment to gauge where the scent was coming from, he sighed in relief when he found that it came from the direction of the Hale house. Good. He didn’t want to have to deal with the Argents or of any other Were-hunters in the area today. John just wanted to get back to Derek’s apartment and rest. It sucked sometimes having his powers sealed up, especially in times like this. When he’d been an unhindered elf all those years ago, he could have run the distance to Derek’s apartment without tiring at all. Hell, he’d not even break a sweat in those days.

Still, he remembered why he’d sealed up his powers. Keeping Stiles safe was his top priority now, and if that meant still laying low and keeping his abilities sealed up for a little while longer, then so be it. Scowling a bit, the Sheriff knelt down to the ground and scrutinized some tracks near the opening of the tunnels. One set belonged to Peter, the other to Isaac. However, there was another set of tracks nearby that looked fresher than those. Sniffing the tracks carefully, he arched a brow in confusion.

It almost looked like a set of wolf tracks. But, if they didn’t smell like Peter, who was an Alpha – able to shift into the form of almost a pure wolf, who did they belong to? Putting down his duffel for a minute, he rummaged around in it and found what he was looking for. He carefully put some of the disturbed mud and leaves into a small vial, careful not to get his scent on it at all.

Perhaps Deaton or Derek would be able to figure it out. If there were real wolves out there, they’d best be prepared. Strangely enough, John didn’t think these tracks belonged to just any real wolf. Perhaps they belonged to another Alpha, but he sincerely hoped not. If the tracks weren’t from a real wolf or an Alpha then the Sheriff had a suspicion that they came from a Hellhound, the type of wolves that Elven Searchers used to hunt down prey. 

Feeling a bit apprehensive, John quickly put the vial away and zipped up his duffel. He grunted under the weight of it as he put the strap over his right shoulder, and scanned the area one more time before leaving.

John trekked up a few hills of the preserve before he finally came to a small parking area near some trails. Huffing a sigh he chanced a look at his cell, noting it’d be better to call Chaser on it rather than use the radio com system that they used for police business. He looked at the bars and breathed another sigh, this time in relief that there was at least a bit of signal power in this area of the Preserve.

Dialing Chaser, the Sheriff looked around, scanning the almost vacant woods surrounding him. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles was resting his head on Derek’s lap as they watched a random horror flick with Scott. The two lovebirds were cuddled up on one of Derek’s suede couches, while Scott was lazing in a comfy chair, munching on some popcorn. The new Alpha felt content, just being in the company of his best buddy and his boyfriend. However, he was getting tired. After eating a scrumptious meal of spaghetti and meatballs – seriously, was Derek real? – all three had fought over what movies to watch, until Stiles used his ‘doe eye’ approach, which caused Scott to instantly cave in, and Derek to blanch at him in shock.

After Derek quickly got over his shock at how persuasive his mate could get when he wanted something, the Beta had sighed deeply and let Stiles have his way. Plus, it wasn’t like the movie he wanted to watch was anything bad really. Just cliché considering it was the original Lon Chaney Wolfman. Derek still didn’t know why he’d bought the classic, perhaps to laugh at the irony of it all, he wasn’t sure. But, Stiles had nearly squealed in excitement over it, so Derek had just given up.

For now.

He gently carded his fingers through Stiles’ hair, and the boy was rumbling softly in contentment, though his eyelids were starting to droop more often. Finally Derek murmured softly, “Go to sleep, Stiles.”

Stiles grunted and tiredly poked at his boyfriend’s leg. “Not yet. Wanna wait until my dad comes back.”

Derek shared a knowing look with Scott, before the older Beta said, “We’ll wake you once he gets back, won’t we Scott?”

Scott nodded, “Yep, sure will.”

“You guys do know I am also a Were, and can tell when you are lying?” Stiles wrinkled his nose in distaste.

“Stiles.” Derek pointedly looked into his mate’s eyes as Stiles turned over onto his back so he could regard his boyfriend easier.

“Yes?” Stiles said, smiling goofily.

“Shut up and go to sleep.” Derek narrowed his eyes at his mate, showing him a bit of his bitch face.

Hell, Derek couldn’t help it. He could tell that his mate was exhausted, and was only awake because he didn’t want to miss anything important. But, Derek could also sense that Stiles needed rest, and short of knocking his mate out with his fist, he was going to have to be stern with him in order for the boy to sleep.  
Too bad Derek didn’t have Alpha commands he could use. Then again, those commands might not work on Stiles, considering his mate was already an Alpha, plus part Elven. Even without all of those strengths, Stiles probably would be able to defy an Alpha’s command, just because it was in his nature to do so. More and more Derek was coming to respect the Sheriff for raising a Stiles.

Stiles pouted at his grumpy _mat’ij_ (maht-EAR) but gave up as he yawned hugely. He snuggled a bit more onto his side, nuzzling Derek’s very warm lap. He unknowingly rubbed something of Derek’s that caused the older man to hiss softly in pleasure and pain. Derek briefly took a few deep breaths before Stiles settled more and soon fell asleep. His soft snores caused Derek to smile fondly before he resumed stroking the boy’s long hair.

Stiles was going to be the death of him.

Derek raised his eyes and met Scott’s concerned ones. “You hurt him, I will kill you.” Scott threatened softly, but left it at that.

Derek nodded, but said anyway, “It would kill me to hurt him. But, your threat is noted.”

Scott scowled a little at that, but then his eyes widened in realization. He looked from Stiles to Derek and back again before he whispered, “He’s your mate….”

Derek tensed, but after scanning Scott’s all too knowing gaze, he huffed a deep, defeated sigh. Scott must have researched on Werewolves too. “Yes.” He whispered softly, feeling as if he’d been punched in the gut. How could Scott have figured it out so soon though? Then again, it wasn’t like both Stiles and Derek were subtle in their attraction to one another. He’d just hoped that no one found out about it until he could tell Stiles himself about it.

Scott’s eyes softened at the admission, and he rubbed his face tiredly. “Jesus.” 

Derek couldn’t have echoed a better sentiment. 

“Does he know?” Scott asked, pulling his hand away from his face to view Stiles as the other boy mumbled something unintelligible in his sleep.

“Not yet.” The older Beta admitted, before he stated firmly, “I was going to wait until he’s seventeen to tell him.”

Scott nodded and for a moment nothing was said until he cracked a small smile, “You do know that Stiles will probably figure it out on his own before then? Hell, I’m surprised he hasn’t found out about it yet.”

Derek knew that. However, he couldn’t just up and give Stiles an emotional bomb like that with all the crazy shit happening right now. He’d tell him eventually, just not now. “He’ll probably hate me after he finds out.”

“Not if you tell him first.” Scott pointed out, “If I know Stiles, he hates not knowing things… being left in the dark. It was so weird that he didn’t get pissed at the Sheriff for not letting him know about his Elven heritage until now. Then again, Stiles probably figured his dad had good reasons. Still, it’d be better if you told him sooner rather than later. It might be a bit of a punch in the gut, but Stiles would get over it. He cares about you Derek. I don’t want to see him get upset about something like this.”

Derek sighed deeply and nodded. “I’ll tell him in a few weeks. He needs to recuperate first.”

Scott nodded in acceptance, figuring it was better than nothing. Still, after a few more minutes of watching The Wolfman, Scott got curious. So, he asked, “What’s it like?”

Derek didn’t have to ask the other Beta to get the gist of what he was questioning. The older Beta thought for a long moment and then said simply, “It’s both Heaven and Hell. On one hand, you feel like you couldn’t love or want someone more, and it’s total elation and happiness in one huge package. But, on the other hand, you have a fear that you won’t be able to protect them, won’t be able to be there for them, and most of all you fear losing them, whether by death or by your own stupid fault. But, now that I think about it… I wouldn’t trade Stiles for the world. I would die for him, if that’s what it took.”

Scott regarded Derek for a long moment, starting to see him in a new light. 

And for the next few hours nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chaser raised his eyebrows as he spotted the satchel and huge duffel the Sheriff was starting to load into the cruiser. “Do I even want to ask?” He said, though he already figured the answer.

“Nothing wrong in being prepared.” The Sheriff grunted, but didn’t elaborate, and Chase didn’t press.

“So, where to, boss?” Chaser asked as John got into the passenger seat of the cruiser, taking the time to buckle in.

John sighed deeply and rubbed his face tiredly. “Derek’s, though I suppose I should stop by and get a hamburger or something. I haven’t eaten since this morning.”

And it was almost ten at night. Shit, he needed to talk with Stiles so that they could discuss what was going to have to happen in the next few weeks. Stiles wouldn’t be fit for school, that’s for sure, and the sooner John’s son got his strength back, the better. However, that didn’t mean that John was going to let Stiles slough up on his studies. Stiles may be a straight A+ student, but that didn’t give him an excuse to do any slacking. And John figured that Stiles would be glad for something productive to do. Scott could probably go to school and bring Stiles his homework and notes from class so that he could keep up just fine. Plus, the Elvish books John had snabbed would hopefully keep his son busy and entertained.

He just hoped it was enough.

Stiles would probably be ok for the next few days of resting, but by the end of the first week, John had a sneaky suspicion that his son would start to go stir crazy. At least Stiles had Derek to keep guard on him. And though John still was a bit wary of their blooming relationship, he was relieved that he at least had the Werewolf’s help in this matter. And if Derek could corral Stiles’ agitation, then by all means, more power to him.

Chaser wryly smiled, already having heard stories about the Sheriff’s obsession with greasy burgers and fries, and Stiles’ mother hen approach to his dad about it. “Stiles might not like that you are snatching that stuff.” He reminded the Sheriff.

John snorted derisively and shrugged, “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Besides, it’s not like he can talk. You haven’t seen how much soda that kid downs in one setting. I bought him six two liter bottles of Mountain Dews to last him for a WEEK, and that boy went through them all in two days. And that was all by himself. Scott hates Mountain Dew. He is more of a Coke sort of boy.”

“Mmmm the good old days of being a teenager.” Chaser said reminiscent of his own teenaged days of getting into trouble and pigging out on crap.

“Yea, well, he might find out that his Elven blood doesn’t like certain toxic beverages.” John shrugged. “Or foods. I know that for the longest time I couldn’t eat red meat due to the enzymes in it. Once I sealed my powers and became basically a human, I found that I could eat it just fine.” 

Chaser pointed out, “Stiles might not be able to eat certain things he’s used too, I agree with you. Then again, his Cyger blood might offset it. Cygers tend to love meat.”

“Don’t most Weres?” John snickered.

Congenial silence filtered through for the last leg of the journey to the burger joint, and then on to Derek’s place. John found it nice to talk to someone finally without having to censure his word choices. It was also nice to be able to talk to someone about the supernatural without any fears of having to pay for it.

So, when John got out of the cruiser at Derek’s apartment complex, he turned and looked back inside it at Chaser. “You want to come inside too?” He asked softly, though he knew that the man would probably say no.

He wasn’t disappointed when Chaser shook his head no. “Nah, gotta go home and call the wife. Sarissa gets worried about me if I miss a call.”

“I know how that is.” The Sheriff said wistfully, remembering how it had been with Claudia.

He waved the deputy away and after a quick assessing look around, the Sheriff went up the flights of stairs to Derek’s place. And for once, the loneliness he usually felt crippling him when coming home from a hard day’s work wasn’t there. He wasn’t sure what to think of it. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he didn’t have to hide his history or thoughts from Stiles anymore. Plus, there was a whole pack that valued him being in their lives too.

It was a good feeling, the feeling of being needed.

\-----------------------------------------------

The next morning had Stiles, Derek, and the Sheriff sitting down eating a breakfast of bacon bagel sandwiches. Stiles could totally get used to this pampering. Still, he narrowed his eyes at his dad a few times before he sighed, temporarily giving up on the fact that yes, his dad was eating an unhealthy bacon sandwich, and yes, he was also drinking espresso with extra cream and sugar.

Ugh, how could anyone drink their espresso like that? Then again, like Stiles was one to talk. He smothered his sandwich with sharp cheddar that had enough cholesterol that would clog anyone’s arteries. Despite originally lying about telling Stiles that they’d wake him up once his dad got in, Scott and Derek had to wake him up last night. There had been a bunch to discuss about the run in with Peter and Isaac, along with the mysterious tracks inside the Preserve.

After breakfast, it was decided that Derek would go ahead and look through the Preserve to see if he could get more of a scent from the strange animal, and the Sheriff would have a rare offday with his son to take care of at least until that night. He had a night shift to work that night, but for now he could help Stiles. Despite all of that sleep Stiles was getting, he still tired easy, and his limbs still didn’t want to work on the best of times.

But, at least the Sheriff mainly left Stiles alone when bathing or dressing. However, when Stiles got out of the bathroom, dressed in nothing but a towel, ready to raid Derek’s closet again, he found that there was a set of strange clothes folded neatly on Derek’s bed waiting for him. He curiously sniffed the fabric, knowing that Derek had already left for the Preserve, and Scott had gone to school earlier in the day before Stiles had even woken up. He was so going to smack his buddy for not waking him before he left. Then again, Scott probably had been under strict orders not to wake him up. And for good reason. The talks had lasted for hours the night before and had finally ended at around two in the morning.

Poor Scott still had to go to school and work afterwards, so Stiles did feel a bit bad about keeping him up so late on a Sunday night. Scott had taken it in stride, wanting to hear all the details despite being about to pass out from yawning so much. 

Stiles wrinkled his nose a bit at the clothes, noting that they sort of smelled earthy. Not bad, just earthy, and a bit dusty, as if they hadn’t been worn in years. These clothes must have been his dad’s when the Sheriff had still been a powerful elf. Curious to see how these clothes felt on his skin, Stiles put on the briefs, noting that they were at least normal. However, they felt a bit more snug in places than he was used to, being a boxer wearing guy. Once he pulled on the soft looking black pants, he nearly let out a moan of ecstasy at the feel of them. Damn, what sort of fabric were these made of? They almost felt as soft as leather, but there was no scent of dead cow or anything like that on them. They were snug in areas, but loose in others, allowing for maximum movement. Each seam had grey runic designs threaded through them, though the threads themselves didn’t make Stiles’ skin itch.

The shirt or tunic was loose fitted on the arms, but was tighter around the chest, making Stiles wonder yet again what his dad looked like as an elf; if he was leaner than Stiles, or if he too was long and lanky. The tunic was made of soft emerald green looking fabric, and was v-necked. There wasn’t much ornamental designs at the seams, except for on the front below the v-neck, there was a runic symbol resembling a celtic knot. 

Interesting. 

Stiles looked and noticed the only other things left to put on were a soft pair of black socks and some strange looking black slippers, along with a thin black tie for his hair.

He put on the socks and shoes, allowing a smile of relieve to cross his face at the feel of the soft material. Elves sure knew what they were doing when they made their own clothing. Not really sure how to do his hair, Stiles settled for a low ponytail for now. He’d seen the girls at his school do it enough to know how to make sure there were no weird bumps of hair popping up on his head. He quickly glanced at himself in the mirror and nearly balked.

His hair being pulled back like that made him look fucking ridiculous. Pouting slightly, he took out the tie and watched as his hair fell down his back and some strands came to settle down in front of his chest and stomach. Narrowing his eyes at the hair, he wasn’t quite sure what to do now. How did Legolas tie his hair back? 

Stiles stiffened as he heard a familiar snort of mirth coming from the doorway of Derek’s room. He spotted his dad propping himself against the frame sipping another mug of coffee. “Of all the things I thought you would have trouble with, I never thought it would be your hair.”

Stiles flushed slightly and waived his hands around spastically, “Not fair! I have never had long hair, at least from what I can remember, so it’s not like I’ve had practice or experience in this sort of thing!”

His dad regarded him for one long silent moment in amusement before Stiles crossed his arms over his chest and muttered moodily, “At least I brushed it pretty good.”

Feeling that his son was chastised enough as it was, the Sheriff put his mug down on the dresser and decided to help. “Sit down on the bed and I will fix it for you.”

Stiles wasn’t sure if he should be incredibly embarrassed or mortified or both. Seriously, his dad hadn’t had to mess with his hair since he was really little, and that was only if Claudia was working a morning shift at the library. Still, he did remember that his dad had been quite the stylist when it came to fixing his son’s hair. So, Stiles sucked up his mortification and pride, and plopped down on the bed, but still opted to sulk.

John rolled his eyes at his son’s drama queen antics, but took the black thin tie from Stiles’ hand and started running his fingers through the boy’s hair. Once the hair was mostly straight and detangled, John pulled a few locks from Stiles’ crown and a few above his ears. He pulled them back and made a makeshift tie back to at least give Stiles some leeway with having his hair out of his face. A few strands still stubbornly hung down in front of his ears to cascade down past his neck and caressed his chest, but otherwise, Stiles wouldn’t have to worry about his hair getting in the way of anything.

“It looks so fucking easy to do!” Stiles pouted, but then he scowled as his dad flicked him on the side of the head.

“Stop being so melodramatic. You are starting to sound like a drag queen fussing about her hair than an Elf/Cyger Alpha.” The Sheriff chided with a small smile on his face. After Stiles calmed down a bit, John shrugged and said, “It’ll get easier eventually. Just be patient. If you want, you can always practice on Erica’s hair. She probably wouldn’t mind being a beauty test subject.”

Stiles blanched at the thought, but then as time progressed, he started warming up to the idea. Still, if he did do that to Erica’s hair, what’s to say that she might turn around and want to do the same with his? Stiles wasn’t so sure if he should let the other Cyger touch his hair. Not that she would put weird crap in his hair or anything, but he was just getting used to having long hair, and didn’t like the thought of having anyone save Derek or his dad touching it. They knew how to be gentle with his hair.

And this was bloody embarrassing obsessing about his hair. His dad was right, he was being too dramatic. So, after an approving look in the mirror to make sure his dad did ok with his hair, though it was a simple tie back, he left the room with his dad and sat down on one of the comfy chairs near the fireplace to start some intense reading.

Sniffing the air and looking at the clock, Stiles figured his _mat’ij_ should be back in about an hour or so. Until then, he was to read while the Sheriff unloaded his duffel. John lit a small fire in the fireplace, wanting to make sure the chill of the apartment didn’t bother Stiles, and started pulling random things out of his duffel. 

He’d been lucky to have a few spares of elven clothing in the duffel, so at least Stiles had some clothes to wear that didn’t chafe him. Stiles, however, was still a bit chilled, so he spotted Derek’s leather jacket hanging up in a nearby and went to go get it. He nearly tripped over his own feet, but managed to get it and put it on. God, it smelled so good. 

John paused in getting out a few more thick tomes from his satchel, and blinked knowingly at his son. True, a healthy, normal Stiles tripped over his own feet, but it was imperative that his son didn’t fall flat on his face while he was still recuperating. “You ok?” He asked Stiles, and the boy nodded, though when he got back to the couch, he burrowed completely in Derek’s jacket and a few nests of blankets. 

John narrowed his eyes a bit at the act, but let it go, knowing now wasn’t the time to talk to Stiles about Derek. 

However, Stiles it seemed, wanted to talk about something totally related. “Dad… what does _mat’ij_ mean?”

John nearly dropped the tomes he had in his hands and stared incredulously at his son. After a solid minute of scrutinizing Stiles, he huffed a sigh and answered with a question of his own, “How in the hell do you know that word?”

Stiles, not sure if he liked the look on his dad’s face, shrugged and said honestly, “I just started calling Derek it, out of the blue. I don’t know what it means, nor where I got it from. It just started happening after I woke up the first time, you know, after I had the power surge.”

John gently set his books down on the coffee table and face palmed. This so was not what he was expecting. Yet, it seemed to make sense. Why Derek seemed to want to be around Stiles all the time, even though Stiles was only sixteen. Why Stiles was so hooked on Derek as well. How protective they were to each other. Still, this posed as a very big problem. 

“Dad?” Stiles pushed slightly, confused.

John reached over and patted his son’s knee to reassure him. “Only a Stiles would have so much complicated crap going on in his life.” He said with a quirky smile.  
Stiles arched a brow, still confused.

“ _Mat’ij_ is an endearment given by elves to people that are incredibly special to them. It basically means ‘owner of my heart and soul’. Another acronym for it would be ‘soul mate’.” John explained, though he went further, “But it’s more to it than that. It also means vows like ‘I would die for you’, and ‘you are mine to protect’, ‘I am yours to dominate’, ‘I will love you all my life’. It’s a bit difficult to explain. Basically you called Derek your dominate husband in elvish.”

Fuck.

For a few minutes nothing was said and John waited for the pin to drop. He wasn’t disappointed in having to wait for very long. Stiles finally whispered, “Oh.” And then he slowly smiled, though shakily, “It makes sense though, doesn’t it? Why I can’t seem to stop thinking about him? I thought it was just because he’s my boyfriend and that we share so much common ground… like being Weres and stuff.”

John ran a hand through his hair and sat down in a huff next to his son. Well, that’s that. His son had unwittingly chosen Derek. To do so, so young, was very uncommon with elves, but not unheard of. He, himself had been deemed young when he’d chosen Claudia. He decided to add, “It does make sense. But, you have to understand, Stiles… the only way for you to feel this way about Derek is if he feels the same for you. And most Werewolves mate for life.”

Well that summed it up in a nutshell.

“Derek knew.” Stiles mused softly, realization settling thick in his mind. “That I was his mate. That’s why he couldn’t push me away.”

“He probably did know. But, I think the reason why he didn’t tell you is due to the fact that he was afraid of what it might mean. You have to understand, Stiles, having a mate is a wonderful thing for a Werewolf, especially if that mate is young and healthy. But, it also is a hardship. Not a burden, but a thing that makes a Werewolf frightened. Werewolves who mate with other Weres don’t fear as much for their mates to get killed off, or to make a mistake to push them away forever. But, in Derek’s case, he has more cause than most to fear losing you. He probably wanted to wait for a bit to tell you about it. Perhaps he wanted to make sure you feel the same way about him as he does you first.” John explained softly, noting that he had to tread carefully with his son right now. Despite his wishes of who would be in his son’s life, he knew that if he caused his son to break the fragile bond he was forming with Derek, then both would never recover. It was one thing to fall in love and marry, only to fall out of love and divorce for a human. But, for an elf or a Were, with true mates, it was all or nothing. And John would rather have his son safe and happy, than soulless and unfeeling.

Stiles nodded after a few minutes of thought and he sighed softly, “Well, with his history, can anyone blame him? Still, I want to talk to him alone about this once he gets back.”

John nodded, feeling a bit relieved that his son didn’t seem angry or shocked, just uneasy. Maybe a bit apprehensive. At least he wasn’t hurt or jilted. 

He just hoped that things would turn out for Stiles and Derek. But, there were other things to worry about right now. Like Stiles with a cellphone.

Stiles quickly answered his phone as it buzzed. “Hey buddy, what’s up?” He asked, trying to sound normal.

 _“Hey, just wanted to let you know that I did it.”_ Scott’s voice sounded a bit broken up, and Stiles felt sorrow hit him for his friend. He didn’t have to ask to know what his best bud was talking about. 

“I’m sorry dude. How did she take it?” Stiles asked softly, idly fiddling with one of the soft hems of Derek’s jacket.

 _“She wasn’t that bent out of shape about it, honestly, but she’s content just to stay friends. So, I guess it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be.”_ Scott seemed a bit stunned about that, as if he couldn’t believe Allison would be so understanding.

“Well, at least she’s still going to be friends with you, that’s good right?” Stiles said optimistically.

 _“Yea, but I don’t know if I can really handle that. I don’t want to get the pack or her in danger.”_ Scott’s voice seemed to be a bit more steady, and then he added: _“Plus, Isaac saw it happen and came over to offer condolences I think. It was really weird. He was like being all nice and sympathetic. I don’t know what to think of it.”_

“Well, one thing I have learned about working with Isaac is although he seems to be very standoffish when you first meet him, he does have a really sweet puppy disposition underneath. Perhaps he has a soft heart too?” Stiles suggested.

The Sheriff was listening in with half an ear, going back to unloading his duffel near the fire. He had enough emergency aid crap to fill the whole room it seemed. Hell, he even had a few sticks of flares on the bottom of the pack. He pulled out a few bow and arrow sets, along with a few elvish knives. Sitting back, he took stock at what he had.

Two elvish long knives, two bow and arrow sets, two flares, five herbal medicinal kits, four more sets of elvish clothing and one set of elvish armor, ten tomes of elvish spells, two training spears, some elvish money, and a huge brick of regular human currency, all in hundreds. He’d been saving the money for both Stiles’ college, and also just in case they had to make a quick getaway. He rifled through the bills and ignored Stiles’ wide eyed look. Ok, so there was about four million.  
Before he left the Royal Guard, he had exchanged most of his Elvish inheritance for human bills. Most Elves had banks that catered to both, so he had an easy way of doing it. Once he got the money out of the bank he had fled with his wife and son to Beacon Hills. He still had a few bars of elvish gold, but that was in case they had to barter an elf to help protect them from the Searchers. Some elves on the lower end of the social scale didn’t care much for the Royals, especially Searchers, so they helped each other out if needed.

The Sheriff put the money back into the pack, though he did take out a few hundreds so he could go shopping for some more things he figured Stiles would need in training. 

Stiles tried to pay attention to Scott as the boy started rambling about Isaac. Though Scott seemed to still not trust the other Beta – who would by the way? Anyone who worked for Peter was crazy in Stiles opinion – but he was starting to warm to the idea of having someone to talk to while Stiles was sick. When Stiles asked about Boyd, Erica, Danny, and Jackson, Scott had said that he had seen them all, just hadn’t had the chance to talk with them yet. 

It wasn’t long after Stiles got off the phone that Derek returned. As the older Beta walked in and put some groceries away, he noted that Stiles was lightly dozing on the couch, wearing his jacket and nestled in enough pillows and blankets to make a sultan envious. The Sheriff was reading near the fire, his feet propped up on a stool while he sat in a comfy chair. He looked up and leveled the Beta with a small nod, making Derek understand to be quiet.

It still didn’t stop Derek from walking over to press a gentle kiss on Stiles’ forehead.

Stiles stirred and blinked up at his _mat’ij_ , honey eyes soft with affection. Yawning, Stiles stretched and asked softly, “How was the Preserve?”

Derek picked up a fallen book from near the couch and put it on the coffee table before shrugging, “Nothing much there to scent. Either the Were is very good at hiding itself, or it’s a real wolf.”

“Or a Hellhound.” John mentioned softly before he got up and stretched. “I am going to head to the station.” He pointedly gave Stiles a look, of which made the boy squirm slightly. “I want at least one book read by tomorrow morning.”

Stiles pouted, of which didn’t phase his dad. When you raise a Stiles, you get immune to those looks. Before he left, Stiles said hesitantly, “Call me if you have any more trouble.”

John smiled slightly and nodded, heading out the door. Derek locked the door behind him and went about making some coffee for himself and Stiles. Stiles perked up as he returned from the bathroom, taking the mug from Derek’s offered hand. “You are a godsend, oh my god.”

Derek rolled his eyes and let out a soft sigh as his mate took a sip of the drink. Though delicious, all Stiles wanted to do was hold his _mat’ij_ in his arms and to scent him like crazy. Though there were questions he wanted Derek to answer, he knew that his mate seemed tired and needed rest. Stiles put the mug down on the kitchen counter and enveloped his boyfriend in a comforting hug.

Derek leaned into the hug and put his own drink down before he leveled Stiles with a softened gaze. Oh, how he wished Stiles was seventeen right now. He wanted so badly to plunder into his mate’s warm heat, to bury his despair into Stiles’ welcoming arms and body. He wanted so badly it hurt. Stiles seemed to understand, for he whispered, “Kiss me.”

Derek pulled his mate more into his arms and kissed him on the lips. The kiss was gentle, but no less passionate, and it made Stiles moan contentedly. The boy reached up and ran his fingers through Derek’s hair, lightly tugging on the soft gelled strands. Stiles let out a hitched breath as Derek delved into his mouth deeper. The kiss was everything Stiles wanted it to be and more.

Finally, Derek pulled away and said softly, “I need to take a shower.”

Stiles wrinkled his nose but nodded. “M’kay, but afterwards, I want to have a talk with you.”

Derek blinked at him curiously, but after searching his mate’s eyes for answers, he shrugged, “Ok, or you can take a shower with me? Then we can talk.”

Stiles’ eyes nearly bugged out of his head and he flushed scarlet. “Fuck, Derek.”

“Not ‘fuck’, ‘shower’.” Derek said with a small smirk.

“You are evil!” Stiles lightly swatted his _mat’ij_ on the arm as the man passed. 

“Not evil, just incorrigible.” Derek waggled his eyebrows before he pecked his mate on the lips one more time before heading into the bathroom.

After one long moment of gaping in Derek’s direction, Stiles made a split second decision and headed after him.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

 ***Bonus Smut Scene – Merry Christmas peeps ;)***  
\----------------------------------------------------------------

Derek knew he shouldn’t really be doing this, giving so much temptation to a sixteen year old, mate or no, but he couldn’t help it. Stiles was fun to harass, and though Derek knew that it would eventually come to bite him in the ass, he couldn’t resist his mate. So, he went into his own bathroom and purposely left the door open tantalizingly, knowing that it might be too much for Stiles to resist temptation.

But, one of the reasons why he left the door open was to also let Stiles have a choice. If Stiles was ready to share in this sort of intimacy, then he would come through the door. And if he didn’t feel comfortable enough in their relationship, then he could walk away and Derek wouldn’t berate him for it. Of course Derek might have to jerk off in the shower more than a few times to get rid of the feel of blue balls, but it wasn’t something that he wasn’t used to already.

Either way it went, when he tore off his shirt and threw it down beside the Jacuzzi, he could still feel his mate’s eyes on him, and he slowly smirked. Usually he hated showing off in front of anyone, especially after what had happened with Kate. She’d forced him to do stuff like this, and he’d hated it, but he’d told himself time and time again that he’d rather do that than to lose her. It wasn’t love he’d had for her, he knew that now.

He wasn’t quite sure if he was in love with Stiles yet. But, if indeed he wasn’t in love with him yet, Derek knew for certain that he was well on his way to that point. And the fact that Stiles accepted all that he was, even though he’d had so much guilt and despair bottled up inside, well, it made Derek feel that he WANTED to parade around in front of his mate. Perhaps to show his mate that he was Stiles, and that made it all of this worth while.

He’d been firm in his standing on waiting to make Stiles fully his when the boy turned seventeen, and not a minute sooner, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t play around a bit. He wasn’t sure how far Stiles would want to go tonight, but it made no difference to Derek. He’d waited this long for his mate, and he was willing to wait much longer, should Stiles feel the need to. 

He bent, and pulled off his boots, making sure to put them near the vanity, not wanting them to get wet. Soon followed his socks, and then his fingers dropped to his pants. By this time, he could smell Stiles’ sweat and hardening arousal. It was an intoxication that he could totally get used to. Stiles definitely was Derek’s drug of choice, and he wouldn’t be able to resist the flavor of him, even if he tried.

So, with that thought in mind, he turned to view his mate, who had followed him to the doorway of the bathroom. Though, his mate had stopped at that threshold to watch Derek do his magic, just by being himself. Stiles was worrying his lower lip, and Derek could see a bit of fang peeking out from his mate’s sinful mouth. His eyes lowered down to where Stiles’ crotch was, noting that his mate’s cock was rock hard already.

Somehow Derek knew that it wasn’t just because Stiles was a hormonal teenager. Stiles really, truly wanted him. Probably as much as Derek wanted him. Feeling more confident, Derek reached down to the button on his jeans and slowly, hazel eyes lifting to meet Stiles’ aroused soft brown ones. He licked his lips and unfastened his jeans, slowly inching down the zipper. He hoped when Stiles got more used to this sort of thing, that he would take the honors and undress Derek, but for now, the older Beta was willing to take his time teaching his lover the art of seduction.

Stiles swallowed harshly and whimpered in arousal as Derek, inch by slow maddening inch, pulled down his jeans. Once he kicked those away, Derek was clad only in his boxers, which were black and soft, and left little to the imagination. Stiles could see the way Derek’s cock was standing at attention through that soft fabric. And for one split second, Derek just stood there, letting his mate look him over like he was the best piece of steak in the world. 

Still, nervous eyes moved up to meet Derek’s and Stiles hoarsely said, “Mine?” 

When Derek arched a brow and smirked slightly at Stiles’ adorable display of under-self-confidence, the boy flushed all the way up to his ears and mumbled, “I suck at this.” Stiles’ eyes fluttered down as if he’d suddenly found his toes interesting.

Derek breathed out an amused sigh and with a quick movement, he reached out and tugged his mate up against him, burying his face into Stiles’ neck. Stiles let out a soft meep at being manhandled, but after a few seconds of being up against an almost completely naked Derek, with his erection rubbing up against his own through thin fabric, the Alpha found he quite liked this. A surge of overwhelming need to mark and to claim and to be claimed filtered through Stiles with a stunning force, causing him to let out a growl of possessiveness.

“Mine.” Stiles said, this time surer of himself and his _mat’ij_.

Derek growled back and nipped his mate playfully on one of his sensitive ears, licking and soothing the sting away. He whispered softly, his voice full of sinful intent, “Prove it.”

Stiles let out a ragged moaning growl, and then the Alpha was kissing his _mat’ij_ fiercely, tackling his lips with an intensity that shocked both of them. Derek growled and reached down to untie his mate’s elven shirt. Unfortunately, they had to make a break in their kissing so that Stiles could throw the shirt to the side, ironically the garment falling directly on top of Derek’s fallen clothing. Derek kissed his mate’s neck, littering the area with hickeys, and Stiles for one long moment clutched his boyfriend's shoulders, trying hard to catch his breath.

“ _DEREK!_ ” Stiles let out a husky cry as Derek finally found a weak point of his. Derek nipped and sucked on Stiles’ ear, loving the sounds his mate made. Stiles couldn’t hardly breath, nor calm down since his heart was beating so much.

“Make me yours, Stiles.” Derek whispered softly, letting out a soft moan as Stiles reached down to cup him through his boxers. “See how I want you? Make me _yours_.”

Stiles pulled away slightly and breathed in a deep breath, trying to think. It was pretty hard with a _mat’ij_ so needy, but he finally managed to get out, “You said no fucking!”

Derek smirked and reached down to undo his mate’s pants. “I did say ‘no fucking’. But, there are other ways to claim one another.”

Stiles flushed and let out a loud moan as Derek reached into his pants and palmed him gently. “OH GOD!” He gasped, throwing back his head as Derek started nibbling at his neck and throat. “Derek!”

Derek maneuvered his mate over to the wall and pressed him up against it, pushing Stiles’ pants down to get more access. The older Beta breathed in his mate’s scent, loving the cinnamon touch to it, finding it incredibly arousing. “Mine.” Derek growled suddenly and bit down hard on his mate’s neck, sinking fangs into his soft skin.

Stiles let out a yowl of pleasure mixed with pain as sparks fled into his line of sight. Oh… what’s what he meant by claiming. As soon as Stiles got that thought into his brain, his inner Cyger and elf perked up with interest. Letting out another ragged moan as Derek’s hand started pumping him faster and faster, Stiles felt his fangs lengthen and his eyes flicker an eerie red. He fucking roared and bit down on Derek’s shoulder, fangs sinking down and marking his _mat’ir_ as his own. 

Derek threw back his head and roared an answering one, his fangs still glistening with Stiles’ blood. Stiles shouldn’t find that so sexy, but he did. For a long time, nothing was said, and Stiles withdrew enough to stare into his _mat’ij_ ’s fiery glowing blue gaze. Stiles reached up and rubbed his hands over Derek’s stubble, which made the older Beta shudder in pleasure. 

Leaning down, Derek met Stiles’ mouth with a deep, but gentler kiss. Stiles whimpered slightly against his mouth when Derek rubbed a thumb over the tip of his cock. How had Stiles forgotten that Derek still had a hand down his pants?! Still, it felt like the most erotic thing ever. Stiles’ breath started getting quicker and ragged, and Derek pulled back enough to whisper softly, eyes still glowing blue, “Come for me, Stiles… my mate.”

Stiles let out a moaning strangled cry and came all over Derek’s fist, his hips bucking up. Derek continued to stroke his mate through his orgasm, though it took Stiles quite a long time to get down from his high. He was still twitching when Derek stripped him the rest of the way and picked him up and put him into the Jacuzzi.

How in the hell was he still hard? Stiles thought dazedly as Derek turned on the warm water and got in beside him. Derek smirked when Stiles mumbled, “Why am I still hard?”

Derek reached down and stroked Stiles’ cock, making the boy tense and let out a strangled moan. “That would be because you have a knot.” While mentioning it casually, but oh so sexy like, Derek rubbed the area in question, right above the base of Stiles’ cock.

Stiles moaned and threw back his head, panting over his fangs. “Oh my GOD! I thought that was just a weird PORN idea!”

“Mmmm not for Weres.” Derek said softly, continuing to massage his mate’s cock and knot. Stiles moaned almost continuously, and his chest was heaving up and down like crazy. Not being able to resist the temptation, Derek situated himself to were Stiles was laying on top of him in the Jacuzzi, and he littered his mate’s face with gentle, but aroused kisses.

“Do you have one?” Stiles managed to get out in between moans and kisses. He clutched his _mat’ij’_ s shoulders and let out a low keen as Derek squeezed a bit harder. Oh yes, that felt so fucking good.

Derek reached up and took one of Stiles’ hands, which had turned into a fist to keep from going insane from pleasure and want. He gently massaged the hand and once Stiles had relaxed it enough, Derek brought it down into the water and to wrap around his own hard shaft. Stiles curiously explored it, even though he was currently in no position to think rationally. Finally, he found a rough bulge near the top part of Derek’s base and as soon as he touched it, Derek threw back his head and moaned.

That was the hottest thing Stiles had ever seen. Wanting to see even more of an unhinged, aroused Derek, Stiles started rubbing it harder, like his _mat’ij_ was doing with his cock. Derek gasped and felt his eyes close in painful pleasure. “Stiles….” He gasped out raggedly, not being able to help the soft whines coming from deep in his chest.

“ _Derek._ ” Stiles gasped up against his mate’s lips and kissed him deeply. 

When he pressed harder against Derek’s knot, Derek withdrew from stroking Stiles’ knot due to his claws growing. He gripped the sides of the Jacuzzi and howled out loudly his ecstasy. His eyes clenched shut and his head tossed back, his body going rigid under Stiles’ tentative, but erotic attentions. He came all over Stiles’ fist, and the boy continued to stroke him fast and hard, prolonging his _mat’ij’_ s pleasure.

When Derek came back down from his high, Stiles was crooning softly to him and stroking his hair with one hand, still rubbing his knot with the other. Derek moaned weakly and kissed his lover’s lips. “Mine.” He growled shakily and pulled his mate further into his lap so that their slowly waning erections could rub up against one another.

Stiles rested his head against his _mat’ij’_ s shoulder and murmured after a few minutes, “Wow.”

“Yea.” Derek answered in a blissed out whisper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys 'enjoyed' the chapter, I sure did when writing it. I outdid myself today, that is for sure. So, Stiles and Derek get some relief, and though Derek DID mean what he said in NO FUCKING, that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun with Stiles. So, I hope you enjoyed it. <3 Have a Merry Christmas peeps. Next chap will be posted on Sunday, December 29th.


	15. Chapter 15: Discussions and Learning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your awesome reviews. Someone pointed out that I overused 'mat'ij' too much in the last chapter, so I am trying to cut back on it. I also misspelled it in the last chapter. I guess I was way too much in a hurry to post it, so I went ahead and went back and fixed it. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. =)

**Chapter 15: Discussions and Learning**

After Derek and Stiles finished up bathing, the new Alpha basically felt totally blissed out and tripped on happy pills. Perhaps it was because he’d had his first sexual experience with someone else other than his own hand. Either that or it was because it had been incredibly special. Stiles didn’t know what to think really, and though he knew that Derek hadn’t taken him all the way to pop his man-cherry, that really didn’t matter. Stiles was just elated, happy, and a bit in awe that someone like Derek wanted him. 

And though Stiles felt a little unsure about being unexperienced in this sort of thing, he knew that Derek didn’t care. In fact, Derek seemed to love the fact that Stiles had been untouched by anyone besides himself. Maybe that was some weird wolfy territorial instinct that his _mat’ij_ had inside of him, or maybe Derek just liked the thought of teaching Stiles the ins and outs of sex. Though Stiles prided himself on being a very independent individual, he found that he really didn’t mind Derek taking the lead in their romantic intimate trysts, but he just hoped that someday he’d be more confident. He was an avid learner, and Derek was an awesome teacher. Perhaps later on Stiles would be able to take the lead on occasion. But, for right now, Stiles was content to watch and learn. 

Stiles was currently sitting on a chair, trying to have at least a few feet of distance from his mate, who was sitting on the sofa watching him curiously. Despite being totally on a post coital high, Stiles still wanted to make sure that he actually discussed with Derek about the whole ‘mate’ thing. He really didn’t want to confront Derek about this, but one thing Stiles had learned from growing up with a Sheriff as your dad, is that confrontations happened. And the sooner he got this all out in the open air, the sooner they could get this hurdle behind them. Stiles understood that Derek was a very private person, and had already shown Stiles and the pack a great deal of trust by letting them all in on his past. 

But, Stiles wanted to make sure that Derek and he were both on the same page. Stiles might think of Derek as a _mat’ij_ – a husband of sorts, but the Beta might think of him differently. Granted, Stiles’ dad had said that the only way for Stiles to feel the way he did for Derek was if Derek felt the same way about him. But, Stiles couldn’t help but wanting to be completely sure about all of this. 

Fuck, the only reason why Stiles wasn’t cuddled up with his boyfriend right now was due to the fact that he wanted to have a clear head when he confronted Derek on this. And Stiles knew that he’d definitely be distracted if Derek was touching him or scenting him. So, Stiles had opted to sit on the comfy chair near the fire, which had faded to low embers in the fireplace. Derek didn’t seem to care much about the fireplace, and Stiles was grateful for that. Stiles hadn’t been sure if fire would cause Derek to do a Bambi freezing look of terror, due to flashbacks from the past. 

It seemed like Derek didn’t particularly like fire, but he didn’t loathe it either, so Stiles figured it was a safe bet to say that the older Beta didn’t fear it either. Fire was a means to an end. Derek might fear other things, like hunters or Wolfsbane, but fire wasn’t really something he let get the best of him. And Stiles was proud of Derek for feeling that way. 

Stiles tried figuring out how he wanted to go about the whole ‘mates’ thing, but he came up empty. And so he did what he always did, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “My dad told me about what _mat’ij_ means.” 

Derek leveled Stiles with a calm, collected look, though he still seemed a bit puzzled. “And?” 

Stiles flushed slightly and muttered, “Ah fuck it.” He stood and started pacing, figuring if he gave his legs something to do, he’d be less nervous trying to talk about this. After a moment of pacing, and of Derek watching him warily, Stiles stopped and flailed spastically, “Ok, here it is in a nutshell: _mat’ij_ is a word used to describe someone special to an elf. It means ‘owner of my heart and soul’, but it also means other things too, which totally boggle my fucking mind, let me tell you. But, for the short and sweetest version, is I basically view you as my husband for life.” 

For one long moment, Derek didn’t say anything, just sat there, an unreadable expression on his face. And when the silence got too much for Stiles, he started babbling, “And my dad said that the only way for an elf to view someone like that is if that person felt the same way about them, and we both sort of came to the realization… or I came to the realization, actually, that you are my mate, and you somehow knew about this. I am not sure if you figured it out from the beginning, or if it was later, or whatever, but the fact still remains that this is really really weirding me out. Not like in a bad weird, it’s just that we’ve just met like a week ago, and things are moving incredibly fast in our relationship, and shit.” 

Derek slowly smiled, his eyes lighting with laughter. In truth, if this had come from any other person, he’d be offended by the nervous babble, but this was his mate. And Stiles, though nervous, was putting on a total brave face, confronting his insecurities with their relationship, as convoluted as it seemed to be. So, it ironically amused Derek that Stiles was being all awkward. 

In truth, Derek was glad that this was all out in the open now. Granted, he’d been truthful when he’d talked to Scott last night, about wanting to wait until Stiles at least had rested up a bit before telling him all of this. But, fate was a bitch, and Derek had learned that the hard way in the past. Things kept happening out of his control, and though Derek hated not having control, he also knew to just go with the flow and to not fight it anymore. Fighting your fate was like fighting with a Wolfsbane laced cell door. It just didn’t go well for anyone who tried to deal with it. 

And if Stiles was his fate, then Derek actually didn’t mind the other crap going on in their lives. He had come to a decision last night that Stiles was his life now, closely followed by his new pack, as odd as they were. It wasn’t good to let the past fester in his heart, and eventually he’d have to face his uncle and possibly have to put him down. But, he’d take that battle when they all came to it, and not a moment sooner. And if what the Sheriff had hinted about was true, then there would also be other things the pack would have to face, like the Elves, should Stiles or John be found out. Not only that, but there was Kate, and the hunters, and Derek had a sneaky suspicion that Peter might unknowingly draw other unwanted attention to himself. 

There was an Alpha pack out there, one that Laura and Derek had managed to evade for the past six years, but now, with a rogue Alpha running around making havoc near their territories, it would surely draw their attention. And Derek hoped to whatever God there was in the universe that the Alpha pack would not make their moves until at least his pack had stabilized. But, fate was a bitch, and he knew he’d have to be prepared. Yea, he’d take one step at a time, and one day at a time, but he had to be prepared. And he had to make sure that his pack was in the know so they’d be prepared for an eventual confrontation. 

But, first things first. His mate was now silent, warily looking at him, as if he’d lost his mind. Maybe he had. Huffing a soft chuckle, Derek leaned forward a bit so he could rest his arms on his legs. He ran a hand through his hair, and finally leveled his mate with a softened look. “You never do things half-assed, do you?” 

Stiles flushed slightly, but he shrugged, admitting softly, “It comes with the whole Stiles package I guess.” 

Derek nodded and leaned back, making sure to stay relaxed as he tried to think of the best words to say. Finally, he opted for the truth, “I like that about you. It’s nice to know where you stand with people. With most wolves, it’s a bit difficult. Some might turn on you in a second, even if they are the best allies you’ve had for years.” 

Stiles chewed on his lip but said nothing, knowing to be patient with Derek. Derek was the type of guy that had issues trying to get his thoughts out onto his lips. He was more of a physical type of being, where body language tended to be easier for him to recognize and to let his emotions out with. With Stiles, getting his thoughts out with his voice along with his body seemed to be a piece of cake, but the Alpha also knew that most people weren’t like that. So, he waited with bated breaths as Derek collected what words to say. 

Derek admitted simply, “I think my body knew about you the first moment I smelled your scent in the Preserve last Monday afternoon. But, my brain didn’t come to the conclusion until a bit later, when I was trying to catch the scent of the Cyger attack. When I came up upon the scent of your blood from the attack when you were first bitten, it was then that I realized what you were.” 

Stiles nodded and found himself sitting down in the chair next to the fireplace again, though he bobbed his leg a bit to get some nervous energy out. Derek noticed, but didn’t comment on it. Instead he smiled, “Fate seems to like making me her bitch. It shouldn’t surprise me what life throws me, but it always seems to regardless.” He then shrugged, “Either way it goes, fate might have chosen you for me, Stiles, but it is still my choice to pursue you. And though the past week has basically dealt us all with random shit, I wouldn’t take it back for the world.” 

Derek’s eyes were soft, but intense as he leaned over slightly so he could reach out to rest his hand on Stiles’ bouncing knee, instantly calming it. He said honestly as he leveled Stiles with a firm stare, “You are my life now, Stiles, and after you, the pack is. And I can tell you this much, I will do everything in my power to be there for you, protect you when you need someone at your back, and I will never, ever betray you. I will do whatever it takes to stay by your side. I trust you with my life, and the lives of the pack. You are my mate, just as much as I am yours.” He didn't mention love or anything sappy like that, because he figured he didn't need to. Not yet at least. Continuously he had to remind himself that Stiles was only sixteen. 

Stiles worried his lip again, and couldn’t help feeling awed and touched that Derek would say such things to him. Finally he whispered, “I don’t know how to reply to something like that.” 

Derek smirked, “Hmmm, I better get an award for stumping a Stiles.” 

Stiles mock glowered at him, glad that the unbelievable tension in the room lessened a great deal. Stiles got up from his chair and plonked his ass down next to Derek. As he leaned up against his _mat’ij_ Stiles sighed deeply, content to just rest and think about what Derek had told him. “Thank God you didn’t quote Jacob when talking about imprinting. That would have been way too disturbing.” 

Derek flicked his mate on the back of the head. “Don’t put me into the same category as a pathetic whining movie Werewolf.” 

Stiles snorted in laughter. He nuzzled his mate gently and huffed a sigh. “You got to admit though, their full wolf forms were pretty epic.” 

Derek growled softly and neglected to comment. After a few minutes, Derek poked Stiles in the side, “We cool?” 

“Yea, we’re cool.” Stiles mumbled, with a soft purr. 

“In truth, I was going to tell you about being mates in a couple of weeks, but I’m glad you know about it now.” Derek made no mention about the talk he’d had with Scott the night before. No need to let Stiles worry about that for now. If Scott ever talked to Stiles about it, then Derek would deal with it then, and not a moment sooner. 

They had enough to deal with as it is. 

Stiles nodded a bit drowsily and calmed as Derek started stroking his hair. 

Derek was content to let his mate nap for a few hours, however, by the time five p.m. rolled around, the older Beta was getting a bit hungry. So, he gently maneuvered his way out from underneath Stiles, who mumbled a few unintelligible phrases in protest at the movements. Snorting at the acts, Derek leaned down and pecked his mate on the nose before he went to the kitchen to fix them both something to eat. 

The mood was soft and tranquil, although Derek felt the itch to go outside and patrol the area to make sure the perimeter around the apartment complex was clear of dangers. So, when he put in a pan of chicken in the oven to bake, Derek opted to go for a short walk. He checked to make sure Stiles was up from his nap, and got half-heartedly smacked on the arm for his trouble, before heading out the door, not bothering to snatch up his coat. 

The air was crisp outside, though winter was still months away. It was only the first part of September, so the evenings were still a bit warm. Fall was well on its way, though the leaves had yet to change their colors. Derek breathed in the scent of gas from the neighboring gas station, and the lingering scent of dust and old pavement from the apartment complex parking lot. 

Being silent on his feet, Derek scouted the area, making sure there was nothing amiss from the apartment complex surroundings. As he passed Erica’s apartment on the way to his own, his eyes caught her leaning slightly out of her window. She waved at him with a small smile, and he nodded, not offering to smile back, but she didn’t seem to mind. He quickly checked in on Boyd’s apartment and noted with a sniff that the boy was sitting down to dinner with his family.  
Everything seemed quiet and uneventful tonight. 

Derek, being used to things happening all the time, wasn’t so sure he was at ease with this calm. He had a sneaky suspicion that this might be the calm before a storm. Growling softly at the thought, he headed back to his apartment and went inside. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The next few days flew by quickly for the pack, though Stiles felt like all he ever did was sleep, eat, read books, and do homework. Granted, Stiles was grateful that Scott brought him pretty good notes, though his buddy seemed to be down lately, and the Alpha didn’t have to ask why. Scott was still blue from breaking up with Allison, but both of them seemed to be doing ok as friends, so that’s what mattered. Derek often came and sat with him for a while, helping him with literature homework and history, though the Beta wasn’t that good in math. Chemistry Derek seemed to enjoy, so he helped Stiles out with it as well whenever Scott wasn’t around to help study. 

Derek was also pretty fluent in speaking French, which was a pleasant surprise for Stiles, even if he was a bit rusty on the practical part of it. Whenever Derek or Scott wasn’t there to keep Stiles company, the Sheriff would be, and often he would answer his son’s questions about random elvish history and things like that. However, Stiles seemed to hit a brick wall when it came to actually writing the elvish language. Yea, he loved learning his own history roots, and he even was picking up some common elvish phrases, but writing it seemed like Greek to him. 

John was patient with his son however, and in fact he was impressed that Stiles was picking up so much elvish cultural knowledge. Reading and writing elvish was difficult, even to a pure blooded elf. It had taken John almost fifty years to fully understand the intricacies and diction of the elves. So, if Stiles didn’t pick it up for a while, John wouldn’t be dismayed about it. 

Since Stiles couldn’t very well go to school still, much less to the pizzeria where he worked, John had made all the necessary arrangements so that his son wouldn’t be harassed by teachers or the manager of Papa Mama’s when and if he did go back. Though things had settled a bit into a routine around town, John was still leery about the fact that the Elven Searchers were still out there sniffing around, along with the hunters. 

Peter was also someone to worry about, but they still had another week or so before Derek had to give his uncle his answer about joining the pack with the Alpha. One thing that was a nice ace in their deck was the fact that Stiles’ heritage was still unknown to the rogue Alpha. Perhaps Stiles being weak right now wouldn’t do much good should they be attacked by anyone, but eventually he’d be stronger and fully able to defend the pack, should he need to. 

Alec, Boyd, Erica, Danny, and Jackson had all visited with Stiles for a bit after school on Wednesday to see how he was doing. Alec had hung back from the crowd, though he did check Stiles’ status by sniffing the air warily. Stiles and the others still were giving Alec a wide and derisive berth, but the former Alpha didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed pretty relieved not to have the Alpha-ship powers anymore. He was more of a follower than anything else. 

Jackson tended to try and make Alec his own personal errand boy, and for a time, everyone basically let him have at it. Stiles figured that Jackson was well within his own right to punish the boy, considering Alec had tried to kill him a few times in the past. However, whenever Stiles felt that Jackson was being too much of a dickhead, he would tell the Jackal where to shove it. 

Jackson had tried once, and ONLY once to snap back at Stiles, but then a strange thing happened. 

Stiles had started to glow. A pale, but fiery red color, to be exact. Luckily the Sheriff had been there at the time to put a stop to the glowing. “STILES, _**bak’ir FAEL!**_ (bah-KEER Fah-el)” 

Startled at the phrase, but knowing it meant for him to calm down, Stiles snapped his attention to his dad, who was now standing instead of sitting, and staring at him harshly. Taking a few deep breaths, Stiles tried to calm himself down. It took him a few minutes to get his emotions under control before the glowing finally faded. Derek had made a beeline over to Stiles, and went to try and touch him, but then the Sheriff stopped him with a look. 

“Don’t touch him for at least another ten minutes, if you don’t want to be electrocuted.” John warned calmly, though he narrowed his eyes at his son. That had been close! 

Derek had regarded both the Sheriff and Stiles for a long moment before he growled lowly at Jackson, “Outside, NOW.” 

Jackson blinked a few times, still trying to figure what the hell had happened, but he willingly left the apartment, if just to get away from Stiles. That had been one hell of a freaky occurrence, and he knew he was going to get a fucking tongue lashing from Derek about messing with Stiles. But, hell, it wasn’t like he could help it. Jackals were assholes by nature, and it was hard enough trying to stay in a pack, when he’d been so long without one. 

He still wasn’t sure he was going to stay in this pack once the whole Peter thing was dealt with. So, it wasn’t like he had to obey Stiles or Derek or anyone like that, right? 

Derek sniffed the air quickly as he stormed outside, noting where Jackson was skulking. With a snarl, the older Beta grabbed Jackson by the scruff of the neck and slung him up against some faded and cracked brick siding, but not hard enough to do much damage. He didn’t want to hurt Jackson, he just wanted to teach the Jackal a lesson. 

“Woa! Ok, ok, I get that you are pissed! But, like I didn’t mean anything by it really!” Jackson said, getting panicked. 

Derek leaned in close and personal to the Jackal, staring directly into the Beta’s eyes before he uttered in a low threatening tone, “Yes you did!” He then bared his fangs at the Beta, saying softly, “And it’s going to stop right now, or you can deal with the Alpha Werewolf all by yourself. You got me?” 

When Jackson nodded shakily, that didn’t appease Derek. He growled at the boy, causing Jackson to cringe, “ANSWER ME!” He all but roared, eyes flashing electric blue. 

“YES!!! I GET IT!! I’ll leave Stilinski alone, I swear!” Jackson yelped fearfully, eyes clenched shut. 

Derek regarded Jackson for one long moment before he smirked, “You’d better, or I next time, the Sheriff or I might let him whoop your fucking ass, just to prove a point.” He let go of Jackson, but he leaned in to say in a soft, sardonic voice, “I don’t know what could have happened in there just now, but count yourself lucky. Stiles may be weaker than a lamb right now, but even if he had used just a fraction of his new powers, I have no doubt that you would have been killed by it.” 

Jackson nodded shakily, gulping harshly. 

“So, fuck with him, and I promise you, there might not be anything left of you to take to the salvage yard.” Derek finished with a soft smirk. 

Derek left the Jackal with his thoughts and stormed back into the apartment, passing a worried Danny on his way. Danny quickly went over to his friend, but didn’t press any questions on him. That’s one thing that Jackson loved about Danny. Whenever something like this happened to him, even if it was rarer now than it had been in past years, Danny just showed silent support, never pressing him to talk much about things. 

Still, Danny did say, “Somehow, I am not sure if this can get any weirder.” 

Jackson snorted at that and shakily ran a hand through his spiked hair. “You haven’t seen nothing yet.” 

Danny arched a brow and muttered as he followed the Jackal to his Porsche, “That really doesn’t sound comforting, you know that right?” 

Jackson grunted, but didn’t make another comment as they both got into the fancy car. He’d just got the Porsche back from being fixed due to some random vandalism a few nights back. Jackson still had no idea who had punched a hole into his car, but he was sure about one thing, that whoever it was hadn’t been human. He still had a sneaky suspicion that it had something to do with Stiles. Either that or that random Alpha Werewolf had taken personal insult to his car, which seemed highly unlikely. 

Then again, Jackson figured shit happened and let it go. For now. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

When Derek came back inside the apartment, he noted that Stiles was now sitting down near the fire, surrounded by the rest of the pack. Erica was sitting near his feet, Boyd was in a chair nearby, Scott was on the sofa, and Alec was laying on his stomach on the floor near the hearth. John was quietly speaking to Stiles, but as Derek neared them, he stopped and leveled the older Beta with a nod. 

“He’s ok now. You can touch him.” John said with a deep sigh as he went over to sit in a different chair. 

Derek crossed the room and gave his mate a gentle stroke through his hair. Stiles purred softly and leaned into his touch, causing most of the pack to snicker in amusement. Stiles calmly flipped Erica the bird, and she just rolled her eyes and flipped back her hair. “Ok, can someone tell me exactly what the hell just happened?” Scott said after Derek got settled by perching on the end of Stiles’ chair. 

“Stiles got pissed.” Erica supplied, though she figured everyone understood that already. 

John rubbed his face with the palms of his hands before he relaxed against his chair. “Stiles’ emotions are reflective of his powers, it seems. When he first had that one power surge, his elven heritage was unlocked along with receiving the Cyger Alpha-ship powers. Most elves either go one out of two ways when their powers are unlocked from being sealed up for years at a time. Either way usually deals with the elf having a big power surge and then remaining weak for a few weeks while their powers take the time to adjust. And when those powers start to adjust, they can be shown through one: solely elemental magic, or two: empathic astral magic. The difference is this: elemental magic usually borrows energy from the earth itself to create magic – much like an Emissary does, only with a higher potency of effect. Empathic astral magic, however, deals with the central core and soul of the elf. An elf that has this type of power has it inside of him or her, in their very being, heart, mind, and soul, and it often rises whenever the elf is angry, sad, happy, or content. The fiercer the emotion, the stronger the magic rises.” 

“So, when I got pissed, I started glowing red.” Stiles murmured softly, digesting the information like a sponge. 

“Yes. For a while I wasn’t sure which type of category you would fall under, for my magic is derived from the elements, and I am a pure elf, not a half Cyger. So, it would stand to reason that your magic was twisted and formed into the darker astral magic due to your Cyger abilities.” John mused, taking a moment to sip some coffee Scott offered him. 

Scott handed Stiles a mug filled with tea and sighed. “Badass.” He admitted, and shared a smile with Stiles. 

The Sheriff went on, “It would stand to reason that Stiles could have blasted a hole in the roof with his anger if it wasn’t stopped.” 

Stiles paled at that, but then relaxed, knowing that the problem had been extinguished, and no harm was done. He’d just have to be more careful of his emotions. “Where did Jackson and Danny go off to?” Scott sniffed the air curiously. 

“Jackson probably went home to change his boxers.” Erica shot Derek a knowing smile before she shrugged, “Danny probably went with him. You don’t find Jackson without Danny unless Lydia is with him.” 

Stiles snorted at the comment, figuring it was all too true. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The next morning had Stiles waking up feeling a bit more energetic, and he was so excited about that fact that he nearly fried the toaster when he’d attempted to make himself some pop-tarts. Pouting at the offending object, he put his strawberry frosted pop-tarts onto his plate and mumbled, “I never thought I’d hate modern technology. Makes me wonder what will happen when I try to text Scott.” 

Derek snorted and lightly swatted Stiles’ ass. “If you are going to have a pity party, do it somewhere else.” He teased, though he did take the bite out of his words by kissing his mate on the lips in passing. 

Stiles pouted at him, but went over to the table to munch on his breakfast of champions. Derek rooted around in his fridge for a bit before deciding on some fruit and cereal. He sat down next to Stiles and noted that his mate had a random pale green aura surrounding him. Arching a brow curiously, he reached over and ran his fingers through Stiles’ long brown and red locks. 

The green intensified for a bit before it faded to almost nothing when Stiles caught Derek’s look. “What is it?” He asked, curious. 

Derek slowly smiled. “Nothing, just interesting that I won’t have to guess your moods.” 

Stiles blinked in confusion before he looked down at his hand and noticed the faint green glow. “Oh. That.” He thought for a moment and sighed softly, “I am a fucking mood ring, aren’t I?” 

Derek chuckled and pulled his mate into his arms. “Nothing wrong with that.” 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Later on that day, the Sheriff decided a few exercises might help his son use his muscles like an elf, and therefor start to boost his physical strength and abilities. He still didn’t want Stiles to overwork himself, but he decided to start him out with some basic meditation movements. Stiles blinked at his dad trying to show him want to do and arched a delicate eyebrow. 

“Um, dad, nothing against you showing me all this, but….” He faltered, noting that his dad was now leveling him with an eyeroll. 

“Look, I know it looks pretty ridiculous and not fluid at all, but you basically get the idea.” John stated with a snort. He knew perfectly well how his human form looked like trying to do moves like this. It was partly his own fault for not staying in shape. 

Stiles nodded, and carefully placed his feet on a long thin rubber mat. He tried to model what John had attempted to show him, and wondered if this was anything like yoga. Stiles stretched his body out as far as it would go and moved gracefully to the next step, causing his dad to hum approvingly. However, when Stiles tried to go for the next step, he wobbled and fell flat on his face. 

“Good job trying to imitate a graceless ape. Try that again.” John instructed, smiling a little when his son started glowing a soft orange, which meant annoyed. Until Stiles started learning how to control his magic and his emotions, his body would indeed be like a homing beacon of moody colors. So far, John had seen his son glow red for pissed, orange for annoyed or moody, green for simply being content, blue for frustrated, and violet for happy. It was both fascinating and amusing to watch the colors create an aura around Stiles. 

Stiles got back onto his feet and tried again. For hours on end they practiced until finally Stiles laid back on the mat and let out an exhausted moan, “No more!” He whined. 

John arched a brow at his son’s antics but shrugged. “Ok, but I want you to practice these moves every day from now on. They will help loosen up your body so it won’t grow stiff. Once you got this part down pretty well, we can move on to defense and offensive moves.” 

“But, you taught me that when I was younger!” Stiles said, rolling over to lay on his stomach tiredly. 

John slowly smiled. “I showed you human martial arts, not elvish fighting techniques.” 

One of Stiles’ fey ears twitched and said boy rolled back over onto his back to look at his dad quizzically. “So, basically you are going to teach me to fight like Legolas?” 

“Better than Legolas. It’s more of Thranduil’s style of fighting, but it’s more than that even.” John said with an evil grin. “And I won’t pretend to state that it won’t feel like hell at first learning everything. But, once you learn it, and you experience your first battle, that is when you will thank me.” 

Stiles closed his eyes and mumbled sardonically, “I was afraid of that.” 

That night the Sheriff gave Derek the ok to try and have Stiles shift a little. Partial shifts only, not full shifts. Fully shifting could not only tire Stiles out more, but it also could mess with his elvish magic, if they weren’t careful. Once Stiles could get his partial shifting down pat, then they could try to work on full shifts.  
Stiles was a bit apprehensive to this sort of training, but he still was curious about what he would look like fully shifted, so he went ahead and trained as best he could. By quitting time for the night, Stiles had been able to shift partially, fangs out, Cyger ears, claws, and stripes out without much difficulty. It looked much like his Beta form, with the exception of the long hair and red eyes. 

Stiles went a bit further on the last partial shift and nearly choked at the feel of his nose lengthening into that of a tiger’s, and spiny whiskers forming. That was ticklish and weird on all accounts. Derek had crooned encouragingly to him and Stiles was able to turn back into his fey form. Exhausted, Stiles went and took a shower while Derek ordered pizza. 

The whole pack was going to come over to eat and to catch up with the Sheriff on possible info about the strange creature roaming the Preserve, the Searchers, and the Hunters. So, Derek figured that he’d have to order at least ten boxes of large pizzas. Despite being still grounded, Boyd and Erica were both going to be there, since both of their families were going to be working, and Boyd’s little brother was going to be over at a friend’s house. 

Though Jackson was still a douche, he and Danny were going to be there along with Scott, Alec, Deaton, Chaser, and John. Once Stiles got out of the shower and dressed, most of everyone had arrived along with the pizza. Scott was late, but that wasn’t anything new, so Stiles didn’t think much of it. However, when Scott finally did arrive, he wasn’t alone. Deaton was with him, but so was Isaac. 

And just when things seemed to have settled down for the pack, fate decided to land them another hurdle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, poor Stiles can glow. And no, it's not like his blood glows or anything like that, it's more of an aura... or halo that surrounds him. Don't worry, he will learn to control it in time and he won't be like a mood ring all the time. Next chap should be up on Sunday, January 5. Hope everyone has a fun and safe New Years.


	16. Chapter 16: Plots and a Challenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for your kudos and reviews. They continue to inspire me to write, so keep them coming. A bit of a short chapter, but I promise the next one will be much bigger. Enjoy! Also, a bit of a warning for graphic gore mentioned in this chapter. I glanced over it as much as I could, but somethings you just can't leave out o_O .

**Chapter 16: Plotting and a Challenge**

 

Isaac nervously waived at everyone, even though most just openly gaped at him. Derek shared a long, hard look with Scott, and the boy flushed scarlet. “Yea, I would have called you, but he just sort of was already at the Vet’s office, knowing I’d be there at work, and wanted to talk with you Derek.”

Derek arched a brow and straightened so he could cross his bulging biceps over his chest. The stance was starting to be a familiar one with Stiles and Scott, so they warily watched him. Derek was in his territorial wolfy predator type mode, meaning that if Isaac so much as twitched the wrong way, then shit would go to hell in one very smelly hand basket. Stiles unconsciously fiddled with the hem of his elvish tunic, thoughts buzzing around in his head a mile a minute. He narrowed his eyes as he took in Isaac’s form.

Black jeans with way too many safety pins littering the sides, long sleeved black shirt with holes at the ends for his thumbs, black tattered Choppers hoodie, and beat up black with neon blue skater shoes. He had a backpack slung over one shoulder, and his hair was spiked straight up in a blue tipped mohawk. There were two earrings hanging from his ears, but his face was piercing free tonight. 

There was however something about the boy that Stiles noticed with narrowed eyes. Isaac was hunched over more than usual, and he looked pale, as if he hadn’t eaten or slept in over four days. There was also the fact that the boy had an acrid smell of old blood on his form.

“I am leaving my old pack.” Isaac announced shyly, and when no word was spoken still, and the silence was oppressive, the Beta gulped and added, “I mean it. Peter is insane. I thought I could at least learn from him while he was Alpha, because he said he’d be a proper teacher. And it seemed to be ok, for the most part. But, then last night….” He faltered, and took a moment to nervously nibble at his lower lip. 

“Go on.” Derek murmured softly, knowing that Isaac had to do this in order to get everything off of his chest. Also, if Isaac was in fact leaving Peter, then there probably was a damned good reason. Up until now it was presumed that Isaac was one of Peter’s star pupils. 

“My dad and I really aren’t on the best of terms, and he got mad at me for forgetting to take my makeup off before coming home. It was pretty bad.” Isaac trembled as he said it, and then he added, “Peter found out about it and told me I should just kill my dad.”

“Shit.” Stiles breathed, and everyone in the room pretty much agreed with that sentiment. 

Isaac shrugged, “That in itself wasn’t much of an option for me. I don’t particularly care for my dad, but he’s the only family I have. I told Peter that I couldn’t do it and why. He just sort of huffed and I thought that was it. That everything was cool. But, then he told me that eventually my dad would be a liability. He said that most relatives of Weres find out, one way or the other, and that I’d best sever all of my ties to my dad sooner rather than later… before it becomes a problem.”

Derek narrowed his eyes at Isaac and he suddenly growled, “What did he make you do last night?”

“What do you mean?” Scott asked, moving over to snatch up a piece of pizza.

He offered Isaac one, and the boy accepted it, though he just nibbled on it. The Sheriff answered for Derek, “Most of the time ties between Alpha and Beta can be severed, but it usually has to be something big to cause the Beta to leave a pack, especially if the Alpha is the same one who turned him. Now, the threatening could be a part of Isaac’s decision, but it’s not all of it… is it?”

Isaac shook his head no, and he sat down nervously near Scott, as if not sure what to do. He finally explained, “This morning, before school started, I met up with Peter like he instructed over at the old Hale House. He said he had something he wanted me to bear witness to. I rode my bike, and when I got there, I could smell it – blood. It smelled pretty fresh, and I wasn’t sure if it was human or not. So, I went inside the place and then I saw him….”

Isaac pushed away his plate, and Stiles was very very glad that he’d already eaten and that his stomach wasn’t that queasy, for the boy lifted his eyes to regard John’s. The boy was ripe with fear now, so much so that it made most of the other peeps in the room push away their plates or finish up quickly, for the scent was almost stifling and thick. Scott finished his food and helped clean up. It only took a few minutes before everyone was settled again, Erica snuggled next to Boyd on the sofa, Stiles straddling a bar stool with Derek perched on one of the sofa arms nearby. Scott plonked down on the floor near Stiles, and Jackson and Danny were both in thick arm chairs near the fireplace. Alec was in his customary spot on the floor near the fireplace. Deaton was near Derek’s table, idly arms crossed over his chest. He viewed his surroundings carefully, though his eyes fell on Isaac more often than not. Chaser and the Sheriff were both standing, and when he noted that everyone was now settled, John nodded to Isaac to go on.

Isaac bit his lip and fearfully whispered, “Peter was making some sort of symbol on the floorboards of the main room. In blood. His hands were caked in it, and at first I thought it might be from a killed deer or something of that nature, but it wasn’t. When he noticed I was there, he asked me if I would help put power into the symbol, and when I didn’t answer, he gestured to a dark mass behind him. It was a human. I don’t know who, I didn’t recognize the scent at all. The body was completely devoid of all skin, and there was a rifle near the body. It might have been the body of a hunter.”

Jackson coughed, feeling sick at the thought. And most everyone was feeling the same way. Granted, the Weres were used to gutting and tearing into their kills, but of deer or rabbits, not humans. To think of Peter doing something like that to a human, it was disturbing and horrifying on a whole new level. Isaac shivered slightly and quickly ended his tale, “Usually blood and gore doesn’t faze me much, but that… that creeped the hell out of me, so I bailed. I bolted, making sure to grab my bike. When I was near the edge of the preserve, I could hear him laughing, as if my reaction was amusing him. I don’t know what scared me more, the fact that he was amused, and not angry with me, or the fact that he seemed to know it’d freak me out.”

For long moments no one said anything until finally Stiles muttered, “Jesus Fucking Christ.”

Derek ran a hand through his hair, and he sighed deeply, eyes darkening with knowing sadness and anger, “What type of symbol was he drawing? Was it a spiral?”

Isaac’s eyes widened as he looked at Derek, “Yes.”

“Shit.” Scott whispered before he asked Isaac, “I thought he sort of promised the Sheriff that he wouldn’t kill anyone else until Derek made his decision?”

Isaac shrugged, wrapping his arms around himself in an act of insecurity. “Maybe he already kind of knows Derek doesn’t want to join?”

“Or maybe he just wanted to keep Derek off of his back until he could complete a ritual.” Deaton suggested, causing everyone to turn to look at the Emissary. The wise man said, “A specific type of ritual. One that could bind Derek to him. And in so doing, his pack.”

John huffed a deep sigh and rubbed his face, “No wonder he let me go.”

“So, what are we going to do about all this?” Erica asked. Her eyes flashed golden as she switched her claws to nails and back again in agitation.

“It’s simple.” Derek said softly, “We take out Peter before he can complete the ritual.”

Stiles regarded his mat’ij with worried eyes. He knew that it wouldn’t be as simple as Derek made it out to be. But, Stiles understood that the older Beta was just giving the pack a direction to go in. “There’s another slight problem.” Stiles said softly, causing him to become the center of attention. He gulped a bit at that but then plowed on through what he was going to say, “Not that it’s awesome that Isaac wants to leave Peter and all, but there is a fact that he’s still considered Psycho Asshole’s Beta. So is Scott. How do we break the ties exactly? How do we know that not only Isaac, but Scott might be forced to turn on us?”

“That’s an easy one.” Jackson offered, “Instead of severing the tie, just keep Scott and Isaac out of the loop.”

“Oh shut up, dumbass.” Erica muttered, flashing her fangs at the Jackal, who grumpily growled at her.

“There are two ways that Isaac and Scott can sever their ties to Peter. One is for someone to kill Peter, and transfer the Alpha status. The only other way is for Scott and Isaac to swear their allegiances to a different Alpha. However, if that happens, then Peter will know about it. It might drive him to do something rash.” Derek said softly.

“As if he hasn’t done so already.” Stiles mumbled, but then he thought about Derek’s whole phrase and blushed. “Oh shit, you are not suggesting what I think you are suggesting?!” He stared at his boyfriend incredulously.

Derek leveled his mate with a slightly amused, but stern look. “It might be the only choice we have.” He looked up at Deaton, “How long would a ritual like this take to make?”

Deaton thought for a long minute, before saying, “It depends on how powerful he is. The stronger he is, the more powerful the ritual. Peter may be strong right now, but he’s not as strong as he’d probably like. He has one Beta that has a faint tie to him, and one that is starting to get that way as well. He probably knows this, so he might try and find another loyal Beta first before doing the ritual. If he goes ahead with the ritual first, then it could take just a couple of days for him to get it completely set up. Then, he would have to lure Derek over to the Hale House, somehow mix their bloods together. The hunter’s sacrifice was just the material to make the blood symbol. If Peter mixes both Derek and his own blood with that of the hunter’s on the spiral, then all he would need is to say a certain spell to bind them. Depending on the strength of the spell, and how strong Derek’s resistance is, it could take a few hours up to a few months for the ritual to be complete.”

After discussing for hours on possible courses of actions, Stiles was chagrined by the fact that there wasn’t really a set plan. Stiles didn’t want to have Isaac and Scott sworn to him, but there wasn’t really much of an option on that one. Scott, Stiles probably could handles since they’d been best buds for eons, but Isaac, the Alpha wasn’t so sure about. Granted, Isaac was adorable when he calmed down and didn’t have a major chip on his shoulder, but still. Stiles didn’t know much about him. When working with the usually soft spoken goth boy, Stiles hadn’t been able to glean much info out of him to consider them both to be friends. Still, Isaac had offered to take care of Jackson that one time last week during Lacrosse practice, so that had to count for something, right?

God, that seemed like ten years ago… when it only had happened a week ago. Stiles figured this must be why Elves lived for so long. They had to endure through so much crap, so perhaps it just seemed longer. 

Despite Stiles not wanting to have Isaac pledge allegiance to him, Derek had been right about there not being any other option. And Stiles had to admit that he didn’t want Scott to suddenly go through a friggin Werewolfy version of the Imperious Curse. Stiles wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if Scott had to go through that.

So, before the meeting disbanded for the night, Scott and Isaac in turn denied their ties with Peter and pledged themselves to Stiles. They had originally wanted to wait until the next day so that Stiles would be better rested, but the boy had figured, fuck it. It needed to be done. And it wasn’t like he was going to get much sleep that night anyway with all this shit going on.

After this shifting of loyalties was done, at least they wouldn’t have to worry about Scott or Isaac swaying to the dark side of the wolfy force. And though it might seriously piss Peter off, it wasn’t like Stiles cared. Peter was one seriously demented creepy asshole, and regardless, the dude would probably try to kill everyone anyways if he didn’t get his own way. He was like a Chucky version of a Werewolf.

So, here Stiles was, biting both Betas, and lording over them like some fucked up cat god. The switching of loyalties was sort of a ritual in of itself, for both Betas had to show submission to Stiles after denouncing their ties with Peter. And Stiles just had to accept their submission and bite them. Since Stiles really couldn’t risk turning into his full Cyger form, he had to settle for half shifted. It felt weird doing this to both Isaac and Scott, but something deep within him felt content with the fact that he now had two more Betas to call his own. Both Alec and Erica watched with interest, and after Scott was bitten, and then Isaac followed, the tension in the air seemed to dissipate.

There was still a bit of a tussle for the pecking order. And Stiles watched on, laughing in surprised humor as Scott basically whooped everyone’s asses and took his place as first Beta. Alec surprisingly took up a huge fight with Isaac for the lowest on the totem pole, but after it had been explained to Isaac what had happened when Stiles had first been turned, that all but caused the Beta to tear into Alec. Isaac made quick work of defeating Alec. He had a hard time with Erica though, who was coming into her own. Finally, Erica, being a badass, flipped Isaac over and sat on his chest, growl purring contentedly.

Derek watched with Stiles, a small quizzical smirk on his face at the antics of the Betas. “Why don’t you join them?” Stiles asked, looking up to smile at his boyfriend.

Derek snorted, “Not right now. Plus, I still want my apartment in one piece by the end of the night.”

“Just a thought….” John came over to sit with Derek and Stiles. “If we are all so worried about Derek being bound to Peter, why don’t you just ally yourself with Stiles, like Scott and Isaac?”

Derek regarded John for a long moment and sighed deeply, saying honestly, “It’d be different. It might weaken his effort to bind me to him, but the result would turn out the same. Peter is a blood relative, and both of us were born into the same pack. With Werewolves, when you are dealing with blood ties, it’s more difficult to break when both are from the same family.”

“Ah.” John nodded, “I guess that makes sense.”

“Regardless, since Stiles and I are mates, if I did ally myself with him, I’d have to mate with him. My wolf wouldn’t be able to stop that from happening. Instinct.” Derek added, causing Stiles to flush scarlet and for everyone in the room to stare at Derek in shock. Derek then coughed and said, “So, if that happened, and Peter got ahold of me, then Stiles would be forced to come along as well.”

“And with him, the entire pack.” Boyd murmured softly, shaking his head.

“Ok, can we seriously get off of this depressing, and oh so embarrassing topic? Please?” Stiles said, ears tipped red. 

Derek snorted and rolled his eyes before walking over to Jackson and Danny. Both were sitting by themselves, though they did watch the Beta smack down match with amused interest. Derek crossed his arms and regarded the Beta Jackal with stern, cold eyes. After a minute of this, Jackson rolled his eyes and stood. “Look man, I am a Jackal, not a wolf or a cat. Jackals are solitary by nature. I don’t need a pack.”

“And what happens if Peter gets ahold of you?” Derek asked pleasantly. “I am not about to let you go flapping your jaw to him just because you can’t keep your shit together. You better figure out where your loyalties lie, and fast. I am going to give you two days. After that, you either fully join the pack, or you get out of town.”

Jackson regarded the older Beta in shock before he sighed moodily and nodded. Danny watched the exchange with an amused look. When Derek wandered over to where Chaser was fixing himself a strong drink of whiskey, Jackson flushed and snapped at his buddy, “What?”

Danny just shrugged, “This pack would be good for you, you know?”

Jackson sneered moodily, “Is that so?”

“Yea.” Danny nodded, “You’d be able to have somewhere you belong. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

Jackson thought for a moment and then he shrugged. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Danny just smiled.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh my god.” Victoria Argent murmured as she looked up at the remains of a hunter, strung up on a tree near the middle of the Preserve.

Her husband, Chris nodded grimly, looking the body over. “The person who did this is not in it just for revenge.”

“There’s no blood anywhere on the corpse.” Kate said softly, taking a moment to objectively look everywhere else. “You sure this wasn’t a vampire kill?”

“Vampires wouldn’t skin their prey. Their corpses would be dry, old husks, but not like this.” Chris explained, pausing to extract some random hair near the body wedged in the trunk of the tree. He examined the hairs carefully, before finally smiling grimly, “This was definitely Werewolf.”

“Was it the Alpha?” Victoria asked, resting her crossbow against her shoulder.

“Difficult to tell.” Chris said, putting the hair into a vial before securing it back into his pack. “But, I know of someone who might.”

Kate pulled out her shotgun and cocked it to make sure it was ready to fire on a second’s notice. “In the meantime, I am going to go hunting.” She smiled. _Perhaps a visit to an old friend might be a good place to start._

“Be careful out there. The wolf that did this is no amateur.” Chris warned before nodding to his companions to get the body down.

“Wasn’t thinking it was.” Kate’s cold smile turned into a smirk. 

Peter watched from close by, though far enough away to keep his space hidden. He slowly smiled at the hunters swarming around the bait. Looks like they were going to take it. Good. Suddenly he felt a twinge in his chest and he lowly growled.

They wouldn’t dare….

Fury unlike anything else took hold of the Alpha, and for one long moment he was silent, before he took off in the direction of the Hale house. As soon as he got there he quickly rummaged around in his meager belongings before he found what he was looking for. A syringe, filled with wolfsbane. 

“Derek, your pack will be mine, with… or without your consent.” He slowly smiled maniacally and shifted into a full demented Werewolf. He had a Werewolf to catch.

As he raced up the hills of the Preserve, he took a moment to survey the city near the overlook, red eyes gleaming madly and dangerously in the sliver of moonlight. Then with one burst of sound, he howled, long and loud, calling out to his traitorous Betas. If they didn’t come for him tonight, then they were just as good as dead. He would not tolerate disloyalty.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Suddenly everyone went silent in Derek’s apartment, the long and faint but fierce angry howl running through the Weres’ sensitive ears. Even Danny and Boyd picked up on the faint howl. “What was that?” Danny asked.

“That was the Alpha Werewolf. It seems he knows now.” Deaton said softly.

Both Scott and Isaac looked at one another, and the latter whispered, “He’s calling to us.”

“But, there is no pull… not like when he first bit me.” Isaac murmured.

Suddenly, Stiles got an idea. He stood and walked over to the large paned windows, sniffing the air curiously. He felt his body go through a partial shift and with one bout of fierce determination, he roared. Deep reverberations swelled up within him and he roared louder and angrier, answering the insane wolf’s call with a call of his own. 

Everyone gaped at Stiles as the whole building shook with the loud sound. When Stiles’ roar faded into nothing, and all was quiet for a moment, John walked over to his son and swatted him upside the head. “Ow, what was that for?” Stiles whined, rubbing the back of his head and glowering at his dad.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?” John asked, crossing his arms over his chest and regarding his son with stern annoyance.

“I told him to back off.” Stiles said, shrugging.

“No, you challenged him, you bonehead!” John bit out, rolling his eyes. Seriously… teenagers.

“And you probably alerted all the Weres in the entire state of California of your location. Good one.” Derek added, though he softened his words by reaching out to grip his mate’s shoulder.

“But, he’s not going to like come after me, is he?” Stiles’ eyes widened. “Oh shit. I was just trying to get him to back off! Honest. It wasn’t like I was trying to fight him for pissing rights or anything!”

“At this point, I think Peter is pissed off enough that the entire pack is in danger. He might not know that Danny is a part of the pack, but he does know about Boyd. So, that means that he might go after everyone, especially the humans.” Derek said with a sigh. Then he turned to look at Danny, “If you want to sit this out, that’s fine with us. We’ll understand.”

“Oh no you don’t. I said I am in and I mean it.” Danny said with a smile, “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“Very well.” Derek said.

“So what happens now?” Scott asked, absently swatting at Isaac’s mohawk.

The other Beta just took it in stride and chewed on his lower lip.

“It depends on how he answers. If he accepts your challenge, then you will have to fight him eventually.” Deaton said. “If he doesn’t answer, then he’s basically ignored you and we can go about as we’d planned. Am I right Derek?”

Derek was saved from commenting when they heard a furious roar echo through the night. He looked down at his mate and rubbed his back, though he knew it wasn’t much comfort. “Guess that answers that.” Stiles said miserably.

\--------------------------------------------------

Since this was a short chapter, I decided to give you guys some fanart I did of this with the help of my friend on twitter @gladerwolf. Thanks bb for helping with the background. 

Here is the clip I started with:

[](http://s897.photobucket.com/user/AzrielGROF/media/SterekUnderneath2_zps762f20f8.png.html)

Here it is almost finished:

[](http://s897.photobucket.com/user/AzrielGROF/media/SterekUnderneath2bc12_zpsd2a34ace.jpg.html)

And here it is finished:

[](http://s897.photobucket.com/user/AzrielGROF/media/SterekUnderneathbc13background_zpsb134901c.jpg.html)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no, what did Stiles do...? Don't worry, Peter won't try to attack Stiles for some time yet. Remember, he has no idea that Stiles has become an Alpha, nor does he know about his elven heritage. He is thinking the challenger is Greenberg. Food for thought o_O Next chap should be up Sunday, Jan 12


	17. Chapter 17: The Calm Before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this was definitely a hot chappy, just to forewarn everyone. o_o I totally had some naughty thoughts going on in this gutter load of smutness, so I hope you guys enjoy. Thank you again for all of your kudos and comments. They help inspire me to write more, so thank you.

**Chapter 17: The Calm Before the Storm**

For the next week, all was strangely quiet, and it was making all of the Weres and humans alike in the pack feel on edge. It was the calm before a very big storm, and Stiles didn’t know how he made it through that week. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had a very supportive _mat’ij_ , along with a pack that viewed taking care of their own as a priority. 

Throughout that week, Stiles dived himself into his studies along with his extensive training sessions with his dad, who was a brutal instructor. Despite all of the brutality of the training lessons, Stiles was able to at least sleep at night, being totally and utterly exhausted. Due to the danger that all of them were in, Derek and Stiles didn’t get much alone time together, besides brief naps and cuddles. 

And though Stiles knew he shouldn’t have his mind stuck in the gutter right now, he couldn’t seem to help it. Derek was one hell of a sex wolf on a very savory stick, so it was very hard for Stiles to keep his arousal in line. Finally, though there was one night where the Sheriff had been called in for an overnight shift due to the finding of the dump site of the hunter’s body that Peter had de-skinned. Scott and Isaac went with him to see if they could sniff out any more clues so Derek could stay with Stiles. Derek would have loved to have gone with the Sheriff, but he was now in more danger than the rest of them, except for perhaps Stiles. Granted, all of them were vulnerable, but if Derek or Stiles got lured to the Hale House and got caught by Peter, then it’d only be a matter of time before the pack became Peter’s. So, it was very prudent for Derek to stay home and watch the roost so to speak. It didn’t mean he had to like it.

It was also deemed imperative that no human or Were of the pack should be alone from now on, and that included Stiles’ dad as well as Chaser. So, while the Sheriff, Chaser, and the other two Betas were occupied with the hunter’s body, Jackson, Danny, and Deaton were over at the Clinic trying to do some research on what exact ritual verbiage that Peter might be thinking of using. If they could figure out the exact lines of the spell, then they could possibly be able to find a counter measure to at least slow the deranged Alpha down if Derek did get captured somehow. 

Boyd and Erica were still grounded, but they still managed to sneak out on this particular night to go with Alec over to the Stilinski house to make sure that the Elven Searchers weren’t still poking around the place. It was a good way to give Alex something to do, since he was a valuable asset in recognizing spells of any sort, even if he wasn’t all that familiar with Elvish scents or things like that. It also gave Erica and Boyd a chance to guard the demoted Cyger. 

Until Alec gained everyone’s trust, especially those now at the head of the pack, he was going to be guarded from now on. Each Beta of the pack would take turns guarding the Cyger, even though Alec had taken a vow of loyalty for Stiles. He might be blood bound to Stiles, but it was imperative that he didn’t have a mishap and got captured by the wrong people. It was for the pack’s protection.

Stiles and Derek did some research of their own in some of the Beta’s old family books on possible spells. They came up empty, and Stiles nearly pulled his hair out in frustration after a few house of useless research. He stood and stretched, figuring he’d at least practice some of his so called defense homework. Derek covertly watched his mate while he looked over a few more things in his family’s old books. After he got done reading, he stood and made his way over to the largest part of the main room of his apartment. The desk had been pushed up against the windows to allow for more room so that Stiles could train effectively.

Now, however, Stiles was having trouble controlling his anger and frustration. Throughout the past week, John had taught Stiles how to tone down his powers so that he didn’t glow as much, but sometimes the Alpha got so frustrated that his emotions leaked out in vibrant colors. This was one of those times. He growled and partially shifted, going through the motions again, only with fierce determination. When he nearly landed himself on his ass again, he felt his body shift more.

Derek’s eyes narrowed as he watched his mate try in vain to control his anger, and with a split second decision, he shifted into his full Beta form and tackled Stiles. Stiles rolled and tussled with Derek, breathing in his comforting scent. Still, his anger was giving him trouble in controlling his body, and soon he was fully and completely shifted. Derek still playfully tussled with his mate, huffing a soft growl as he tugged on Stiles’ fluffy Cyger ear. Stiles growled lowly in slight annoyance, but then he sighed.

“This sucks.” He gritted out, not liking that it seemed harder to talk with extra teeth in his mouth. It came out more like ‘Thith thuckth’. 

Derek snorted in amusement before he nudged his mate a bit and rubbed his face into Stiles’ neck, orange and white striped fur tickling his nose. Stiles returned the nuzzle with a soft head butt, purring softly, ears flicking back and forth, tuning into every sound in the apartment complex. 

Strangely enough, after he’d shifted completely, his clothes hadn’t ripped in places or anything like that. Instead they had fallen either off of him or were strung around his ankles of his back paws. Getting a bit annoyed with the offending garments he tried ridding one paw of his trousers. Derek huffed a laugh and helped his mate out by tugging the cloth off of Stiles’ foot, and almost got kicked in the process. 

Stiles started pacing the large open space of Derek’s apartment, taking a moment to revel in the feel of being released from his elvish form. He was a bit curious to see what he looked like, so he padded into the bathroom and jumped up to brace his large over-sized paws on the sink counter. He stared at his reflection curiously, noting that he looked like a somewhat lean tiger, only he had some silver stripes that intermingled with the characteristic black ones. His body was orange, but along his back instead of black there was a long stripe of reddish brown. The wing tattoos were still on his back, along with the runes, but otherwise nothing really stood out as elvish. He grew fascinated though when he spotted his bushy tail. It looked almost like a big fluffy striped wolf tail and he reached down to try and paw at it. 

The tail had a bit of a mind of it’s own, but when he finally grabbed it with his huge paw, he shivered at the feel. Who knew that Alpha Cyger tails were so friggin’ sensitive? Then again, his skin was uber sensitive as an elf, so maybe this sort of reflected on his tail as well. He let the tail go and turned to glance at the mirror a bit more and huffed softly. He got down on all fours and wandered back into the main living space, noting that Derek was doing pushups on the floor. 

Rolling his eyes a bit at his boyfriend’s antics, Stiles laid down nearby and lazily watched him. Admiring the view, Stiles’ eyes grew smoky red and his body started glowing a soft purplish blue hue. Derek stopped what he was doing when he caught the overwhelmingly mouthwatering scent of Stiles’ arousal and he turned to look at him. Derek had forgone his shirt, and his muscles were bulging nicely, slick with sweat. 

Stiles was watching him covertly like Derek was the best steak on the planet. Getting slightly intoxicated by his mate’s scent, Derek felt his eyes start glowing blue in response. His eyes drifted over Stiles’ form, taking note that his mate made a very gorgeous Alpha in all ways. He shifted fully and crouched lowly, his mouth turning into a smirk, “If you want it, come and get it.” His voice was full of sin and promise.

Stiles growl whined in frustrated arousal, and he couldn’t help but take the bait, especially when he caught the scent of Derek and just how aroused he was also. Stiles got up and crouched low to the ground, his muscles bunching and eyes wide with lustful intent. With a growling pounce, Stiles tackled his mate to the ground. They rolled for a bit and playfully tussled, Stiles trying not to hurt his _mat’ij_ instinctively, and Derek trying not to dominate over him and rutting him into the ground.

Finally, though, Derek couldn’t take it anymore, and he let his wolf take over. Derek flipped Stiles onto his stomach and rubbed his aching hard-on against his mate’s lower back. Stiles let out a husky growl moan, sending shivers up and down Derek’s spine. Derek buried his face into Stiles’ furry shoulder, drowning in his delicious scent. God, he smelled so fucking good. 

Stiles acted on instinct, lifting his hips up a bit off the ground and moving his tail out of the way. Derek settled his hips against Stile’s Cyger ones and shuddered at the feel of his pants chafing his cock. Finally, reality came crashing down when he caught scent of Stiles’ warm heat. 

_Fuck._ Stiles had just gone into heat.

Since this was Stiles’ first, it wasn’t as powerful as normal heats with Weres went. Heats usually ripened as a teen aged, and by the time a Were turned twenty one, their heats grew into full blown sessions. And since Stiles was an Alpha, his heat would be way more potent than a Beta’s, regardless of how old he was. 

Derek fought for control, though his wolf instinctively was pushing hard at the cages around him. His wolf wanted Stiles, wanted to claim his mate, and didn’t understand why Derek wasn’t giving in to the temptation. Derek vaguely had to try to keep Stiles’ age in mind. Stiles was only sixteen, and he was NOT going to claim him on his heat cycle just because the boy would be more than willing and incredibly ripe for it. Plus, teenage pregnancy, though rare on first heats, did happen with Weres, no matter if they were male birthers or female. And since Stiles was in fact able to give birth should he so choose due to the fact that he’d been a Beta Submissive first before an Alpha, Derek really had to rein himself in.

Stiles let out a soft growling moan of frustration when Derek stopped moving. Derek was trembling with the effort not to give in, and not knowing why, Stiles raised his hips even more and spread his legs a bit. Derek whispered a soft husky curse and felt his cock twitch against the fabric of his jeans and Stiles’ lower back. Stiles felt his cock throb, and though it should have worried him that Derek wasn’t doing anything besides stroking his sides gently, all thought process in his brain wasn’t functioning. He just wanted Derek to rub against him, to take pleasure on him… to dominate him in every fucking way.

Some small part of him knew not to tempt fate, but his body was starting to burn up, and he wanted, no NEEDED release and his mate’s release. Derek finally let out a gruff, “Shift back, Stiles. Shift back _now_.”

Stiles was confused about the request, but figured, ok, he could handle it. So, he shifted back, rolling over onto his back and looked up into his mate’s lustful blue eyes. Derek leaned in and snuffled Stiles’ neck, shuddering at the feel of a heat drenched naked mate right beneath him. It felt so good, it was starting to hurt. But, Derek was used to dealing with pain.

Stiles whimpered and reached up to card his fingers through his mat’ij’s hair, loving it’s feel and scent. He nuzzled Derek’s neck, submissively arching his hips, trying for any sort of friction. His cock was so hard it hurt, and his balls were heavy, as if he’d shoot his load any second. He just needed Derek to fucking TOUCH him. 

Derek clenched his hands into fists, pricking the inside of his palms with his claws. The pain brought back a bit more control and he felt his body shift slowly back into a human, though his eyes still flickered between blue and hazel, his teeth still sharp. Regardless, he pulled back slightly and looked down into his mate’s soft, but aroused brown eyes. He took comfort in them and whispered shakily, “Stiles, you are in heat.”

Stiles’ eyes widened slightly and then he shivered slightly, “Well, fuck.”

Derek let out a soft frustrated laugh and shook his head, “No fucking, remember?”

Stiles pouted a bit, but nodded, knowing he really didn’t want to get preggers right now, even if his body was totally down with that. He dragged a hand over his face and sighed, feeling emotions swirl inside of him. Finally he asked, “Ok, what is going to happen now?”

Derek nuzzled his mate’s neck, offering a bit of comfort, though he knew it wasn’t going to help any. Thank god they weren’t mated yet, otherwise Derek’s heat would have been set off by Stiles’. Derek sat back, trying to ignore the pain of his hard on and couldn’t help but bury his face into Stiles’ groin. He snuffled the soft curls there, taking in the Elf/Cyger’s potency. Stiles let out a ragged moan, trying to vie for anything to grab onto, and finally settled for gripping the soft carpet at his sides. 

The Alpha let out a gasping cry as Derek licked a long stripe down his cock, wickedly teasing a drop of precum out of the slit at the tip. Derek moaned contentedly and chased another drop before he pulled away with difficulty. His eyes, still alternating between flashing blue and lust darkened hazel, met his lover’s and he said softly with a soft predatory smile, “This might be more comfortable in the Jacuzzi.”

Oh god, the way Derek’s husky voice had practically purred over the word ‘Jacuzzi’ was like the biggest turn on for Stiles. Seriously, was Derek real? Stiles let out a choked keen as Derek blew a hot stream of air over his cock. “Yea, _JESUS_ , ok.” He all but whimpered.

Despite the original plan of actually having their naughty way with one another in the Jacuzzi, there was the whole obstacle of actually GETTING to it. By the time Stiles and Derek had made it to the bathroom, there were groping hands everywhere, sloppy, wet kisses exchanged, and the ripping of Derek’s jeans, of which he half hazardly threw in the opposite direction, not caring where they fell. Derek mouthed at Stiles neck, littering it with hickeys, though the marks kept disappearing due to Stiles’ rapid Cyger healing.

Stiles blindly gripped the levers of the Jacuzzi and finally gasped out a quick, “Ok, I am going to be so damned by saying stop for a minute, but –“ He was broken off by a deep licking kiss from Derek, causing him to moan louder. Derek got the gist of what his mate was saying and reached around Stiles and helped him turn on the Jacuzzi, without pulling his lips or his tongue away from the succulent mouth he was plundering.

Stiles nearly fell into the Jacuzzi, just trying to stumble into it when the water was at a decent frothy level. He flailed a bit and clung to Derek like a cub and the older Beta snorted a bit at his antics. Wrapping his arms around his mate securely, he murmured softly, “I’ve got you. It’s ok.”

Stiles blinked up at his mate and let out a squeal as his legs were tripped out from under him, sending both of them sprawling into an undignified heap into the giant tub. Water went everywhere, but both didn’t seem to care as they started their kissing back up in earnest. Derek sat back and whispered huskily, cheeks faintly flushed, “Come here.”

Stiles didn’t have to be told twice. However, he did pause to admire Derek’s amazing physique, even if only his upper torso was the only thing showing. He would never ever get tired of looking at his _mat’ij_. His eyes darkened as he mumbled softly in appreciation, “Seriously, you like need to have no shirts. Like, ever. Why do you feel the need to cover up, I will never understand.”

Derek flushed a bit more and rolled his eyes, though secretly his wolf was giving off happy vibes. Derek flitted his eyes over Stiles’ form the same way, giving the boy a taste of his own medicine. “Same could be said about you.”

Stiles turned red at the compliment but he was saved from bringing up a retort due to Derek getting a bit impatient. Derek reached over and tugged his mate over to him, turning him around so he was sitting directly on his lap, back to the Beta’s chest. Stiles shivered and craned his neck around to look at his mate curiously, not sure what the Beta was thinking of doing. Derek ran his hands over Stiles’ long tresses and murmured softly into one of his elvish ears, “Close your eyes and relax.”

Easier for him to say! Stiles however followed Derek’s lead, since this was about the second time they’d had actually been able to have some privacy in the past week. Stiles was very curious about this whole thing, so he rested his head on Derek’s shoulder and closed his eyes, trying to relax. Derek started lathering them both up, and with gentle strokes of his callused hands, bathed every crook and cranny of exposed skin. Stiles let out a bemused moan, relaxing fully as his mate’s hands basically turned him into putty. 

“Oh my god, _Derek_.” He whispered shakily as Derek ran his hands over Stiles’ chest, pausing to tweak at the boy’s nipples. As they hardened into tight nubs, Stiles whimpered, maneuvering slightly to spread his legs. When his legs were spread so far that they hooked his feet at the ankles around Derek’s, he moaned again, feeling Derek’s hot hard cock pressing against his lower back.

Derek shushed him gently, though in truth he really didn’t care if Stiles screamed so loud that the entire state of California heard his pleasure. He mainly shushed him to keep his mate calm. He wanted Stiles to enjoy this first heat, and if that meant that he was going to have to stave off his own pleasure for now, then so be it. Stiles was his priority now. He came first in Derek’s book. Everything else just seemed to be paling in comparison right now. 

He would have to text the others to ensure that they stayed away from the apartment for the next few days at least. There was no way that Derek’s wolf would allow to have any other Were within ten feet of Stiles while he was in the first part of his heat cycle, especially if he wasn’t able to claim him fully yet. But, he’d do that later. Right now, his main concern was pleasuring Stiles.

His hands dipped into the frothy water and he finally washed Stiles’ package, carefully pumping his hard cock while rolling the soft balls beneath it. Stiles let out a soft cry and arched his back, his hands clawing at the sides of the Jacuzzi for any purchase. Jesus, he was so fucking sensitive. It was like his whole body was alternating between burning up and tingling all over. 

“Derek, _please_.” Stiles keened, shuddering against his mate’s touch. Derek gently nipped at one of Stiles’ sensitive ears and continued his ministrations. 

Derek pulled one hand out of the water, but continued to stroke Stiles’ engorged cock, his pumps getting firmer with each flick of his wrist. He tilted Stiles’ face towards him and gave him a series of nipping kisses, his mate’s scent getting stronger and headier. The cinnamon tint to his scent was driving Derek nuts, and finally he growled and flipped his mate around so he could give in to a proper kiss. Stiles moaned into his mouth, his legs finally settling to straddle Derek’s hips, their cocks rubbing up against each other enticingly.

Derek growled lowly and deepened the kiss hungrily, licking into Stiles’ mouth like a fucking demon possessed. Gripping Stiles’ hips a bit more, Derek adjusted him ever so slightly so that their cocks could rub more effectively in the water. Stiles moaned and wrapped his arms around Derek’s shoulders, glad to finally be able to touch him like he wanted to. His hands carded through Derek’s hair as the Beta started arching hips in sharp, quick thrusts of sensuous movement. Stiles simply rode Derek for a few minutes until he finally couldn’t stand it anymore. He bore down against Derek and soon they had a tempo going, with their tongues mingling, their fangs biting, and their growls sounding erotically in the bathroom. The air was steamy due to the bath water and their excursions, and the smell of sweat, desire, and musk filled it in one intoxicating package.

Stiles heat was starting to climb into full swing, so he started arching his hips more, letting out keening pleas and growls. It was like music to Derek’s ears. He gripped Stiles’ hips more closely, grinding up against his mate harder, with sharper thrusts, and soon he needed to hear the boy scream. So, he pulled back slightly and let his wolf more into play, fangs lengthening and his eyes flashing a complete electric blue. He buried his head into Stiles’ neck, breathing his scent and quickening his pace.

Stiles felt like Derek was going at the speed of a fucking god, the way he was thrusting so fast and sharply. He felt his climax coming at quickly, so he buried his face into Derek’s shoulder, shuddering and starting to freeze up, “Please, Derek, fuck me _hard_ and **fast**. FASTER!” He all but screamed as Derek reached one questing finger down his crack. Shit, did that have to feel so fucking _good_? Derek pressed his finger up against that softened, heat slackened hole of his mate’s. He shuddered at the ease of being able to drive Stiles nuts with just pressing against his entrance.

Stiles let out a wail of pleasure pain as Derek bit down hard on his shoulder, sinking his fangs in and marking him deeper than ever before. Stiles almost came then and was shocked that he hadn’t because of how intensely electrifying it had felt. His veins tingled and his hips were burning from exertion, but then Derek took a deep suck of blood from Stiles, and pressed his questing finger deep inside of him in one sharp move. Stiles came with a shuddering yowl, his fangs lengthening and his eyes flashing red. 

Derek rubbed his finger in and out of Stiles gently, but purposely, his face still buried in his mate’s shoulder. He lapped at the blood from the mark that he had given Stiles, but otherwise didn’t stop his hips from thrusting, or his finger from stretching his mate’s slick hole. Stiles moaned raggedly and winced when his cock filled even more. He shuddered as sparks seemed to fly at the edges of his vision and his balls felt heavier than ever before.

“Derek….” Stiles keened out desperately, reaching down to grip at both of their cocks. Derek growled heatedly as he felt his mate’s hand on him, and he thrust faster and harder, making it hard to think.

Derek’s climax was close, so he suddenly flipped Stiles beneath him, running his cock in between Stiles’ legs. He spread his mate’s ass cheeks, uttering gruffly, “Continue to stroke yourself, Stiles…. I need to _feel_ you against me when I cum.” 

Stiles moaned lowly and braced himself up against the Jacuzzi with one hand, while the other went into the water to cup his own cock. He stroked himself just the way he liked it and keened softly when he felt Derek’s cock fit right up against his entrance. “Fuck, **YES** … Derek PLEASE. _**FUCK ME!**_ ” Stiles cried out desperately, tugging at his cock almost harshly and spreading his legs more to give Derek more leeway.

Derek let out a rumbling roar as his cock slid easily down Stiles’ ass to hit up against the boy’s balls. He started rutting then, not being able to help himself. His hands turned into claws, and he gripped his mate’s sides as gently as his mind could comprehend. His thrusts started quickening with short but sharp bursts, and Stiles’ cries were turning him on even more.

Derek felt his knot fully form and he threw back his head and roared his fucking head off, releasing his seed in between Stiles’ cheeks. Stiles shuddered through another orgasm at the sound and smell of Derek’s climax. He mewled softly and continued to rub his own knot, squeezing his eyes shut at the feel of the pleasure that was just on the shy part of too much. Derek collapsed against his mate, and shuddered as his cock pulsed again with another shot of seed. He buried his face into Stiles’ shoulders, breathing shaky breaths in of the boy’s scent. 

For a long time they stayed like that, until their knots went down and their cocks were temporarily spent. Stiles weakly turned around and flopped back down on his ass, cuddling Derek’s tired head to his chest. Derek rumbled a soft content purr growl, causing Stiles to snort in laughter. 

“Wow. Are most heats like this?” Stiles asked, feeling his cock twitch despite being recently spent.

Go Were stamina. Seriously.

Derek snuffled his head into Stiles’ chest and said softly, “No. They are much worse. Just wait until we are completely mated.”

Stiles snorted, “Can _not_ wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there you have it! Hope you er... enjoyed it ;) The next chap will be up on Sunday, January 19th. Hope you guys have a good week.


	18. Chapter 18: Complications

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, just to warn you, there is a bit of torture at the end of this chapter. Nothing too graphic, but just FYI. Also, wow! Thank you very much for your comments and kudos. I appreciate them greatly *bows* so thank you. Please keep them coming. =)

**Chapter 18: Complications**

Scott rubbed his face as he again read Derek’s text. “I can’t believe this is fucking happening. Now what are we supposed to do?”

Isaac arched a brow and shrugged, “Not much to do about anything really until Stiles’ heat runs out.”

“This past month has been one crazy adventure after another.” Scott sighed and looked up at John Stilinski, who was trying very hard not to look like he’d swallowed a lemon. 

“Unfortunately, Isaac’s right. I don’t know much about Were mating cycles, but I do know that heats are very serious.” The sheriff sighed deeply and admitted, “I had hoped that Stiles’ heat would stave off until November at least, but maybe it’s the best thing that could have happened at this point. At least I know Derek won’t take advantage of my son.”

“What makes you say that?” Chaser snorted, “Not saying that Derek is a bad person or anything, but Weres have a very hard time controlling themselves during heat cycles. I know from experience. My wife is a total mass of hormones during her heats.”

John regarded Chaser with a narrowed look, before shrugging, “I know that Derek won’t take advantage. You want to know why? Because he knows that Stiles is in fact only sixteen. Plus, with Derek’s past history with Kate, he has a major aversion to having actual sex with a minor, no matter how willing Stiles may be.” He then turned a bit green. “Oh god, I don’t even want to think about this right now. There are some things a parent DOESN’T need to know about their son, and sex is one of them.” 

Scott got a bit grossed out and nodded, “Yea, it’s almost as creepy as thinking about my mom doing that stuff. I know she had to have done it in order for me to be alive, but it’s still way too traumatizing thinking about it.”

Isaac shrugged, “It’s life.”

When everyone turned to regard him with arched eyebrows and deadpanned looks, he snorted, “What? Really, what is the big deal? Sex happens. It doesn’t really bother me thinking of relatives doing it or friends. At least some people are enjoying themselves.”

Scott flushed and Chaser burst out laughing at John’s horrified expression. “Teenagers what do you expect?” He then sobered and patted John on the shoulder. “You sure you don’t want to give Stiles a call?”

John shook his head. “No. It’d be better to let Derek handle him for a few days.” He then rubbed his gun holster comfortingly. “I will put my trust in Derek, at least for now. I know for a fact that he KNOWS that I not only carry a gun, but I also am former Elven Royal Guard. If he ever hurt Stiles and survived the backlash, I’d make sure he’d wish he was in Hell.”

Isaac balked and turned to whisper at Scott, “Your friend’s dad is scary.”

Scott nodded numbly, saying, “You think he’s bad, you should see my mom in action.”

Isaac blinked, but after a minute the goth Beta nodded in agreement. He then shyly asked, “You still sure it’s ok with your mom if I stay at your house for a few days until things cool down at my place?”

Scott regarded the boy for a few minutes and couldn’t resist those puppy eyes of his. Granted, Scott had thought that he’d become immune to looks like that due to Stiles being the king of puppy expressions, but there was something about Isaac that was just so heartbreakingly sweet and adorable. Scott nodded with a bright smile, “Sure. She’s cool with it, though you might want to not go back to your place anymore. Things might cool down but maybe Peter is right about things will eventually get worse.”

Isaac sighed deeply and nodded sadly. “Yea. But, what is there to do until the Sheriff draws up the papers? I don’t want him to come after me or anyone else for that matter if he gets wind of what’s going on.”

Scott felt the insane urge to hug the downtrodden Beta, and figured it might be due to the fact that Isaac was now a part of the pack, so he went ahead and gave in to instinct. He hugged the other boy, who though stiffened at first, melted in Scott’s embrace. Scott then nuzzled Isaac’s neck and said softly, “If he comes after any one of us, we’ll deal with him.” He then said vehemently, protectiveness forming deep within his being, “But, I have to warn you Isaac. If he goes crazy violent, I might have to go crazy violent on his ass. Even if it means _killing_ him. I don’t care. Abuse will NOT be tolerated in _our_ pack.”

Isaac chewed on his lower lip and nodded, knowing from recognizing the signs that Scott had been abused too by his dad in the past. And one thing that Scott was different about Isaac is that he would never ever tolerate being abused again. But, at least Scott had had his mother and Stiles to help him through his nightmarish past. Isaac didn’t even have that. But, something about the other Beta made Isaac feel safer. At least safer than he’d felt in a long time.

Maybe things would turn out.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Peter growled softly, not surprised when the moon came out of the rain clouds that night. Derek had failed to give him an answer. But, he expected this to happen. It still didn’t mean he had to like it. It just meant that things would have to go a different path. He would take Derek’s pack from him, regardless. The ritual was almost complete. Now he just needed to snab a Beta or a human. Stiles would be the best choice, but for some reason he hadn’t seen the snarky Cyger Beta ever since the show down with the vampire a few weeks back. 

Then there was Scott, a total betrayer. However, the only time Peter had viewed him or scented him nearby was with Isaac and the cops. Derek, it seemed, was taking precautions with his pack. Ironic pride swelled in his chest at the thought that his nephew was being smart enough to be cautious and protective of his Betas. 

He also hadn’t seen much of the rest of the pack. Jackson was with a random human that might or might not have joined the pack, and was sticking to the Emissary Deaton like glue. That girl Erica was sticking close with her boyfriend and that stupid idiot of a Cyger Alpha Greenberg. 

In the darkness of the night Peter plotted his next move. Perhaps, it might be a good thing to pick them off one by one. By far the pack’s weakest link was Jackson, for there wasn’t much of a bond he sensed coming from the Jackal to the pack. However, Peter was less inclined to go after that self-centered jackass with Deaton around. 

Sighing deeply, Peter figured perhaps it’d best to check and see what that pathetic Cyger Alpha Greenberg was doing over at the Stilinski house. Maybe if he could pick off the human, Boyd, then he’d get himself a new Beta. Granted, Boyd would probably not want to join him, but there were ways to manipulate all beings. And Peter was very well versed with that. So, with a small evil smirk gracing his lips, the rogue Alpha headed towards the Stilinski house, plots going around in his head like gnats around a bloated carcass.

\------------------------------------------------

Erica sniffed the air inside the Stilinski house. She had just gotten a text from Derek about the whole ‘Stiles is in heat, stay away for a few days’. It sucked, and Erica was so not looking forward to babysitting Alec for another few days. Still, at least she was with Boyd. It was going to be interesting going back home with Alec in tow however. Perhaps it would scar her mother’s brain thinking that her daughter was sleeping around with two different boys. But, oh well, it wasn’t like her mom cared about her needs anyways. Granted, her mom did love her daughter, but she worked all the fucking time.

Erica wasn’t stupid. She knew that her mom was barely making ends meet, though she did work as a RN, but it still would be nice to have her home at least a few evenings. The Beta turned her attention to what the bonehead former Cyger Alpha was doing. Alec was still way low on her list of people who had brains. And to think this stupid asshole had almost raped Stiles. What a loser and a creepy pathetic excuse of a Were. 

She didn’t particularly hate Greenberg for his actions, for the boy had saved her life, and she was grateful for it. But, she didn’t like him at all either. It was like feeling gratitude for a mass murderer sparing your life. Just because Alec saved her didn’t mean that Erica was going to bow down to him and lift her ass in the air like some bitch in heat.  
It suited her just fine that Greenberg was the lowest ranked Beta in the group. Stiles had not put him into Omega status, but that was only due to the fact that Omegas were revered as the breeding queens and kings in Cyger society. If Greenberg had been a Werewolf, then the term Omega would have been fine, since Werewolf Omegas were considered outcasts and the lowest of the low. Regardless, she definitely was going to have to have a bone to pick with Stiles after this.

Just because his body had randomly chosen to turn into heat mode did not excuse the fact that it screwed up all of the schedules of taking turns with guarding Alec. Then again, maybe she could call Scott or Isaac to see if they wanted to take over for her since technically her and Boyd were still grounded.

There was no way in Hell’s outhouse that she was going to contact Jackson. If she could despise anyone more than Greenberg, it’d be Jackson. Erica softly growled in fury as she remembered how mean and despicable the Jackal had been towards her in the past. That dickhead had been a total asshat, always making fun of her because she had epilepsy. Always pushing her around as if she was some bug to be stomped on. If she could hate one fact about being in the pack would be that Jackson was on the outer edge of it.

And she had told him point blank that if he ever tried to betray the pack or even stepped one foot out of line, she would show him no mercy. She’d kill him with pleasure.

Jackson had been a bit of a turd after that, but mostly he stayed clear of her vicinity which suited Erica just fine. 

Erica brought her thoughts to the present when Alec suddenly stiffened. He had been sniffing clothing near Stiles’ bedroom to get any clues about the Elvish Guard whereabouts. Now, though, he dropped the red hoodie he had been sniffing. His beta Cyger ears cocked to listen, and Erica did the same. Boyd stayed quiet and watchful, though everyone was tense now.

Suddenly Erica heard it. It was like gruff breathing of some sort of animal running towards the place. Erica motioned to the others, “Tunnels!” She hissed, not liking the turn of events.

Alec and Boyd nodded and they quickly headed down the stairs and headed towards the cellar. As soon as they got the door latched, they heard glass break upstairs. “Damnit!” Erica snarled softly as she impatiently waited for Alec to undo the protective spell around the tunnels leading away from the Stilinski place.

“Who is it, do you think?” Alec asked sniffing a bit as he finished dismantling the spell. 

Erica wrinkled her nose, “Smells like wolf to me, but it could have been a hellhound?” 

Boyd grunted, “Regardless, we have to get going. I don’t fancy getting captured again no matter who it is that’s up there.”

Alec and Erica nodded and wasted no time getting out of there. Erica and Boyd headed through the tunnels while Alec sealed up the entrance of the tunnel. He easily caught up with them, though they quickened their pace when they heard a loud furious roar. They didn’t have to say anything to know everyone was thinking the same thing. It was Peter.

Peter growled and roared again in fury. Damnit, he almost had them! Huffing a sigh at the tunnel’s blocked off entrance, he sniffed and paced for a few minutes, trying to find a way to break through it. Snarling a bit he turned around and left the house angrily, heading towards the Preserve, knowing exactly where the group was heading.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

“I think we are done here.” John sighed and let the forensics team do their work on what was left of the hunter. 

Everyone stiffened when they heard the faint roars coming from the city. “Damnit, what is that crazy asshole doing now?” Scott whined, rubbing his ears in agitation.

Isaac looked up at the sky at the moon and said softly, “Maybe time’s up for Derek making a choice?”

“Somehow I doubt that was a surprise to him.” John said, and then noted that Scott was now looking in a separate direction. “What is it?”

“I can hear….” He grew puzzled. Suddenly he recognized the sounds and said quickly, “It’s Erica and the others. They are heading this way, and fast, like they are being pursued.”  
“Ah hell.” John said in resignation.

Scott and Isaac went to go meet up with the running pack members while John and Chaser stayed with the other police peeps and forensics team. It didn’t take the Betas long to get to Erica, Boyd, and Alec, who were running like bats out of hell. Boyd, though very good at long distance running, huffed and puffed, though the Beta Cygers barely cracked a heavy breath. Sometimes Boyd wondered what it would be like to be invincible like that. 

Erica laughed softly when she spotted Scott and Isaac, and she stopped running. The other two companions did the same and Boyd wheezed, saying in between pants, “Next time you guys decide to go epic cross country, leave me out of it.”

Erica rolled her eyes good naturedly. Scott looked them all over worriedly, and at his look, Alec explained, “Peter found us sniffing around the Stilinski house. But, we managed to get through the tunnels without him catching us.”

“He still following?” Scott asked, sniffing the air curiously.

Erica shook her head no. “I don’t think so. When we came out of the tunnels, there were these weird trap things all over the place, so we had to dodge them. But, he wasn’t there.”

“I think we missed him. Somehow.” Alec said with a goofy smile. 

Isaac looked around at the surrounding forest suspiciously, sensing that they were no longer alone. Finally he said in a panicky voice, “I think he just caught up! RUN!”

All five started running, although Boyd could barely keep up. He tripped and fell, causing Erica to scream out, “Boyd!”

The pack double backed around and surrounded Boyd protectively. Snarling and growls could be heard coming from each Beta as they put up a front. Soon the Alpha could be seen as he raced towards them. However, when he spotted four Betas protecting the human target, he stopped short. Wait a second. Wasn’t Greenberg an Alpha?

Peter growled, fully in his demented wolf form, sniffing the troupe for any sign of weakness. But, if Greenberg was a Beta, then who was the Alpha? His eyes narrowed as he caught the faint cinnamon scent connected to this part of the pack.

Stiles.

Stiles was the Alpha now.

Letting out a loud roar in anger, though inside Peter was laughing his fucking head off, the Alpha took off in the other direction, heading to the one place he hadn’t checked for Stiles. Derek’s place. First, though, he’d have to pick up a piece of bait.

“What just happened?” Isaac said, looking around at his packmates.

Scott huffed a worried breath, not sure. Alec then answered, “He’s figured it out. He’s seen me in Beta form. He knows that Stiles must be the Alpha.”

“Oh shit.” Erica breathed, worriedly looking at everyone even as she helped Boyd to his feet.

“That means he’s going after Stiles. We need to warn Derek.” Scott said, and headed off in the direction of the Sheriff, everyone following in his wake.

\---------------------------------------------------------

Derek growled in annoyance as his phone buzzed. He was currently cuddled up with Stiles in his bed, scenting his mate as much as possible. Stiles mewled softly, taking comfort in the Beta’s touch, even though his body felt like a sweating mass of burning arousal. They had just gone through another round of massive frotting, but his body was still friggin’ horny as all get out. Stiles just wished it would end so he could finally start thinking normally.

And it was only going to get worse, from what Derek had told him. 

It sucked majorly, but it wasn’t much he could do about it except for acting like a sex starved slut bunny for the next several days and nights. After the first few nights of the heat, his body would settle down a bit and the worst would be over, though Stiles would still get burning needs to copulate with his mate. And though Stiles really, really would love for Derek to finally give in to temptation and to fuck him senseless, he was actually relieved to know that the older Beta knew what he was doing. The Werewolf had a will of steel it seemed like. Superman all the way.

Derek picked up his phone and answered it with a gruff, sexed out, “What?”

“Dude, sorry to interrupt anything I might be interrupting, but we have a major problem coming your guys’ way.” Scott said, trying to calm his voice. “Problem being Peter.”

As Derek listened to what had happened to Scott and most of the pack, he scowled, his knuckles starting to turn white in fury. After he told Scott to contact the rest of the pack and to get them to the new safe haven that the Sheriff had started setting up on the outskirts of the Preserve, Derek got off his cell and sighed deeply. His fingers itched to rent the thin metal of his phone into tiny shards, but he knew that wouldn’t help with his fury.

“So, he’s coming for us?” Stiles asked, mustering up the strength to sit up on the bed. He leaned in for a gentle kiss as his _mat’ij_ sat back down on the bed next to him. 

Derek regarded Stiles with softened, but worried eyes before he finally said, “Yes.” 

Stiles nodded and scratched the back of his head, causing some of his long hair to frizz up. “How much time do you think we have?”

“A half an hour, maybe less.” Derek answered, reaching over to take his mate’s hand into his own. 

Stiles smiled shakily, “Do you think fully mating with me would help?”

Derek snorted in amusement, but shook his head no. Stiles pouted and then asked, “So what’s the plan then?”

“We are going to have to make a break for it to the safe haven. The others will meet us there.” Derek said softly. “I really don’t like the thought of moving you right now, but we don’t have much of a choice. You are coming into your own with your powers, but you are very vulnerable in your heat state. We wouldn’t be able to win. I would rather not risk a fight with Peter. Not just yet.”

Stiles nodded, though he sighed in frustration. This was sucking in more ways than one. Several thoughts went through his head as he weakly put on his elvish clothing. Granted, the fabric chaffed his over sensitive heat drenched skin, but it wasn’t like they could help it. He snatched up his dad’s duffel and Derek packed up a small bag of supplies. They left the apartment through the back entrance and hurriedly got into Derek’s Camaro. Scott had Stiles’ jeep, so the sleek black sports car would have to suffice. 

Derek paused in getting in the car, sniffing the air and turning to look around warily. Noting that they still were alone, he got into the car and buckled up, turning to look at his mate. Stiles gave him a reassuring nod, and Derek started the Camaro. He sped out of the area as fast as possible without causing a wreck. Speed limits were not a thought with the Beta Werewolf, and Stiles didn’t comment, just made sure that his seat belt was good and tight.

He studied his lover’s face in the dark light of the moon, noting how much of a poker bitch face Derek had on. Derek’s jaw was set tightly, and his eyes were watching the road in front of them carefully. Fists were clenched on the wheel and his scent had a slight bitter tint to it. Stiles reached over and gently rubbed a comforting hand through Derek’s tresses and the Beta visibly relaxed. Just a smidge, but it was enough for Stiles to settle better.

Stiles nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He answered it, noting it was Scott. “Hey buddy.”

“We all got to the safe haven. Deaton, Jackson, and Danny are here too.” Scott told them as Stiles put it on speaker phone. 

“Ok, stay there and set up a perimeter. We are almost there.” Derek said, squinting his eyes as he noticed a road block up ahead. Shit. It was Peter in his demented Alpha form standing over a bloodied body.

Stiles suddenly let out a wail, “Oh my god, that fucker has LYDIA!”

The squealing of tires sounded and the last thing Stiles saw before blacking out was Peter’s evil grin. And then there was pain, yelling, and then silence.

\----------------------------------------------------

When Stiles came to, he was in some sort of dungeons. The ground was cold and hard beneath his body, and there was a thick layer of dust everywhere. The heavy smell of stale ash permeated the dark room, and there was only some faint moonlight from a barred small high window that lit the room. He carefully sat up and heard a faint growl coming from the right side of the room.

Blinking a bit, Stiles couldn’t help but sneeze as some dirt got up his nose. Ugh, where were they? He sniffed the air carefully and noted that the growl was coming from someone not Derek. What was going on? He blinked a few more times and slitted his night vision on, noting that the room was pretty large, and was basically devoid of any debris besides ash and dust. Cobwebs were thick above on the high beams of the broken down house. This must be the old Hale house’s basement.

How bloody flippin’ ironic. He turned and noted that the person growling nearby was a Werewolf from the smell and looks of it. However, the male was chained to the wall. His scent was recognizable to Stiles. And his eyes widened comically when he noted that it was Peter, stuck half between his Alpha form, and human. Almost Beta, but not quite, his face fully wolf formed, but most of his body that of a human’s.

If Peter is here, then where was Derek or Lydia?

Rubbing his wrists, Stiles noted that though his wrists were free of any manacles, he still was bound around the neck by a thick iron collar. Tugging lightly on the chain attached to it revealed that he had perhaps a few feet of moving room, but that was it. The chain’s start was attached to a pike in the ground. 

“Well, I guess the little prince has awoken, mmmm?” Peter huffed in a strange laugh, eyes gleaming red in the darkness.

“What happened? Where’s Derek?” Stiles asked him, eyes narrowing in anger.

“Why are you looking at me like this is somehow all my fault?” Peter asked, lightly tugging at the manacles attached to his wrists. Then Stiles noticed with grim realization that there was an electrical generator of sorts connected to the other Alpha’s body. That must be how the hunters had kept him from fully transforming.

“Because it probably is your fault, you dickhead.” Stiles spat, rubbing his face slightly to get crud off of his nose. It didn’t do much, since his whole body seemed to be a dirt covered factory.

“Too true.” Peter shrugged, “How about this…. You use your wonderful Alpha powers to get me out of here, and I will give you what you want more than anything.”

Stiles arched a brow, “How do you know what I want? You don’t even know me, psychopath.”

Peter slowly grinned, his tongue lolling out of his grotesque mouth. “Oh, but I think I know you very well, Stiles.” 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate Argent smirked slyly as she looked Derek’s body up and down. “Mmmm… someone grew up in all the right places.” She then sighed in mock debate as she put her hands on the electric device connected to Derek’s strung up nearly naked body. Derek glowered, but said nothing. In vain he tried to think of a way out of here. A way to get out of here, find Stiles and Peter, and get the hell out of Dodge. 

The hunters had been ready and waiting for Peter to make a mistake. It just so happened to be kidnapping Lydia when she had been spotted by Kate walking around in a daze by herself. Kate had got a few of her cronies to go with her in following the girl. Once Peter had snatched up Lydia, Kate’s group had followed them to the scene of the impending car accident.

Though Peter probably had expected some sort of impact, he hadn’t expected hunters to descend on the scene. Kate had shot everyone with wolfsbane arrows. Everyone had been taken, though Lydia had been sent to the hospital, since no one was really sure if she would survive Peter’s bite. They were keeping a close watch on her, however.

Kate had separated Derek from the other two, wanting to have a bit of alone one on one time with her former lover. She wanted to see what he was made up of, now that six years had passed. “I don’t know whether to kill it, or lick it.” She laughed tauntingly and started looking through Derek’s things.

“So silent. Then again, I can’t really expect you to lighten up, given the situation.” Kate shrugged. “Bad past, mmm?”

Derek growled lowly, but otherwise didn’t do anything. It was best not to add fuel to the fire.

“It’s your own fault, you know.” Kate sneered. “If you weren’t so gullible, maybe your family would have still been alive.”

Derek couldn’t help responding this time. He hissed out vehemently, “You are the one responsible for their deaths. Not me.”

“Oh sweetie, you have been having so much guilt these past six years, huh?” Kate smiled, walking over to him and reaching up to stroke Derek’s abs. “And now, your pack is going to suffer too. Maybe you should have just killed yourself after the fire and saved everyone this. Your sister dies, and now your pack will die too. One by one, we will kill all of them.”

Derek snarled and wolfed out, trying to snap at her, fury in his glowing blue eyes.

Kate snorted and walked away from the wolf, though she did grin as she flipped on the lever to the electric torture device. “Scream for me baby. Scream for me like you once did.”

Derek let out a howl of pain as fire scorched through him. He just hoped that Stiles would never have to deal with this.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, Stiles and Derek will be reunited soon, and Kate will get her dues, so that both boys can get on with heating up the planet. Peter will also be dealt with soon as well. And no, that will not be the end of the fic. The fic has a long way to go before being over. Stiles and the others still have to deal with other creatures, like the kanima, etc. Anyways, next chap will be up on Sunday, January 26. Hope you all have a wonderful week.


	19. Chapter 19: Torture and Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of all times to pick to crash, it would be AO3's personal vandetta to do so while I am trying to post this chapter. Anyways, hopefully it works this time. Hope you guys like the chappy. I had fun writing it (not the Derek Torture scene, but the scene where Sheriff is total BAMF to Peter) Kate also gets her dues in this chappy =)

**Chapter 19: Torture and Justice**

Stiles cringed as he heard another pained howl coming from somewhere nearby. Both Stiles and Peter were still in their dungeon, but though the Alpha Cyger had managed to get the collar off of his neck by melting it (a very nifty trick that Stiles was going to have to remember how to use for possible later scenarios), there was a thick wall of Mountain Ash surrounding their only exits. Growling lowly, Stiles’ eyes flashed an eerie red as he tried to find a weak point in the concrete walls. He absolutely hated hearing Derek being tortured. It was worse that he couldn’t at least see him to know exactly what was happening. 

Every now and then Peter would catch the scent of charred flesh and growl in fury, and he didn’t hesitate to let Stiles know that Derek was probably being tortured by electrocution each time. Stiles however, didn’t take up the bait. Stiles was smarter than perhaps Peter gave him credit for. The boy was more cautious about him than Peter would have thought, which means that either Derek had caved and told Stiles about the murder of Laura, or the Cyger Alpha knew how to trust his instincts.

Peter sized up the boy as Stiles sniffed the air slightly and touched the dusty concrete walls for any weaknesses. The boy was different than when he’d first met him. For one thing, Stiles now looked elvish with fey tipped ears, long reddish brown hair, and soft green travel clothing was gracing his form snuggly. Kate had basically left the boy’s clothes alone, but she had still probably thought Stiles not a threat, due to the fact that she hadn’t tied him up in similar fashion as Peter.

Perhaps that meant that Kate had no clue what Stiles was, or she had underestimated an elf’s power. Taking a deep breath in Stiles’ direction, Peter’s eyes darkened in surprise. He tipped back his head and softly laughed at the revelation as to why Stiles was so weak right now.

It made so much more sense why Derek had kept Stiles hidden from the whole world for the past few weeks or so. Stiles was _very_ much in heat.

Stiles narrowed his eyes at Peter for a second before he went back to scrutinizing their prison. Peter finally said softly, dark amusement running through his voice, “I couldn’t help but wondering why Derek kept you hidden for so long.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, but shrugged in answer before he started wandering over to the Mountain Ash laced near the door. He reached out and lightly pressed on the opposing force and gritted his teeth at the burning feeling that started running up his fingers. Sighing in frustration, Stiles sat down and tried to think. It was sort of hard to do, especially considering he had a psychopath with a creepy sense of humor locked up with him.

Peter continued, not to be dissuaded by Stiles’ prompt dismissal of his conversation, “Must be killing Derek to no _end,_ thinking that you are here with me, unmarked and unclaimed.”

Stiles didn’t take the bait, instead he flicked his right wrist and let his claws come out, sharp and to the ready. He murmured a soft incantation that his father had taught him and drew a small symbol into the ground with his claws. 

Peter paused in his aloud musings, and his eyes narrowed in interest as he watched Stiles recite the soft spell. Stiles went quiet and his body started glowing a strange red color.   
Interesting.

Finally Stiles let out a pleased sigh as he finished putting a small amount of power into the symbol near the door. He then got up and wandered over to the weakest wall, which just so happened to be in the direction of Derek. He tapped on the wall a few times and drew another symbol, this time large, and circular. He chanted a spell softly and put a bit more power into it. However, Derek’s screams had stopped suddenly and footfalls could be heard coming this way. He cursed softly and hurriedly went over to the side of the wall where his melted remains of his collar was. He quickly put it on his neck and slumped up against the wall, acting asleep with the melted side of the collar hidden from view.

Peter quickly growled lowly as the latching on the door came unlocked. The door opened to reveal a very familiar face. 

It was Scott.

And with him was someone who looked familiar, but not quite. 

Stiles’ eyes grew wide as he looked the tall elf up and down. John nodded to Scott, and the boy tried to press up against the entrance, but couldn’t get passed the Mountain Ash to actually get inside the cell. He bent and took a look at the strange line of Ash and questioned John softly, “Mountain Ash?”

John bent down and examined the substance before nodding. He then wryly smiled, “Luckily I am not a Were in any stretch of the imagination. He reached down and quickly broke the seal. However, when Scott tried to head into the cell, John stopped him with a firm, but gentle hand.

He narrowed his eyes at the symbol scratched into the dust. “Careful, Stiles must have set a trap for a hunter.”

Stiles got up, still stunned at his dad’s appearance. John had long red brown hair like his son, and his body was similar, but slightly taller, probably because Stiles was still growing. His face was a bit more blunt, and he still looked like himself, just with elvish ears and a younger countenance. He looked not even over thirty. “Dad?” He asked, eyes still wide with shock. But, why would the Sheriff feel the need to release his own seal? Where the Elvish Searchers gone now? But, wouldn’t this draw them here?

John turned and regarded his son’s actions and smiled, nodding slowly, “You ok?”

Stiles blinked and finally shook himself out of his daze. “Yea, I mean, things considering….”

John sighed and murmured, “We will talk later about all of this.” He gestured to his own appearance and Stiles nodded in acceptance, figuring now definitely wasn’t the time to get explanations.

Scott turned and suddenly seemed to notice that Peter was there, who was glaring crimson holes into the boy’s form. He looked him over, taking in the electric generator wired up on Peter’s body, and the fact that the Alpha was in no way able to move much. Though Peter let out a soft growl of fury, but mindful of the fact that he was one: still tied up and unable to get free, and two: there were still hunters in the dungeons.

Scott then couldn’t help himself, he sidestepped the booby trap and walked straight up to Peter with a hard glower, not one ounce of fear permeating his form. He growled softly, “You have no idea how much I want to kill you right now for what you did to me, and what you are still doing around Beacon Hills.”

Peter snorted and rolled his eyes, “Please, it’s not like I had much of a choice really. You have no idea what I WENT through. What I had to do in order to get justice for what Kate and the others did to my family and to myself.”

Stiles rolled his eyes and muttered, “Will you guys stop with the pissing contest?” He then hugged his dad and pulled back, eyes narrowing, “Set him free so we all can go get a piece of Kate.”

Scott and John looked at Stiles as if he’d lost his mind. Stiles growled lowly and his eyes flashed red. “That bitch is going to pay for what she did. It’s only fair for her to get what’s coming to her.” He cracked his knuckles, saying softly, “And if there is any piece of her leftover from me for torturing Derek, then _you_ can have her Peter.”

Peter blinked in shock, but then he shrugged. “As long as she gets dead somehow, I really don’t care who does it.”

Scott caught Stiles’ eyes and something passed between them without words. Sometimes it was awesome having conversations with close friends without actually saying anything. Scott nodded and uttered to Peter, “You step out of line one time, and you will die. You hear me?”

Peter sighed softly and nodded. “Yea, ok, can we stop with the threats now? I’m hungry and I would love to snack on a few hunters before the night’s over.”

John shared a look with Stiles and nodded slowly, “Ok. You boys go on ahead. I will get Peter out of this torture device.”

Scott was about to protest, but then Stiles grabbed his arm and helped shove him out of the door. “Why are you so calm about this, Stiles? Why’d you just leave the Sheriff in with Peter?”

Stiles regarded Scott with an arched eyebrow and finally the Beta figured it out. “Oh my _god,_ what is your dad going to do to Peter?”

“I have no idea, but at this point, I really don’t care.” Stiles started sniffing the air, “I am more concerned with finding Derek right now.”

Scott nodded. He then said softly, “They are holding him on the other side of the basement, in a huge dungeon. At least that’s what Allison said.”

“What? What do you mean?” Stiles then said incredulously, “Allison knows about this?”

“Yes, she does.” Scott said with a small smile. “Apparently she has been training in secret with her mother for the past couple of years. She knew exactly what I was when she first met me. She’s not prejudiced or anything like that. She likes Werewolves. She only started training with her mom because she wanted to have the ability to protect herself against the supernatural.”

As they skulked softly through the halls, Stiles noting that there were a few hunters around, but none in the basement, so they could softly talk freely in whispers. Scott continued, “It was a big secret kept from the rest of the family due to the whole do not tell until you are eighteen rule. But, anyways, Allison followed Kate last night and found out what was going on. She knew that Derek and you were in trouble, and that somehow I was a part of your pack, so she called me last night and told me what happened. So, I got the others and we devised up a plan to get you guys out of here.”

Stiles nodded, and they paused near the dungeon that Derek was being held. Stiles stifled a growl as she heard Derek scream in pain. _“Shit._ That bitch is _so_ going down.” Stiles uttered, eyes flashing red.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John regarded Peter with narrowed eyes for one long, contemplative moment. He easily and fluidly dodged Stiles’ booby trap and advanced more into the cell. Crossing his arms over his chest, the Sheriff looked Peter up and down for a few seconds before he regarded the rogue Alpha with determined brown eyes. 

Peter went through the scrutiny, sizing up the former Elven Guardian as well. He had to admit, the Sheriff was definitely a looker when he wasn’t glamoured to look like an older human male. Still, he knew not to mess with this particular fire. The Sheriff had had him fooled for a long time now, and Peter didn’t like that. Granted, the Alpha felt a surge of genuine respect as he regarded John carefully. The dim moonlight did nothing to hide away John’s features or his mannerisms.

Unlike Stiles, John was very worldly and had experience with things that even Peter couldn’t comprehend. So, Peter looked at him in a new light. “You really had me fooled, Sheriff Stilinski.”

John slowly smiled an impish smirk, and Peter suddenly understood all too well where Stiles got some of his fierceness from. “That was the plan. Glad to see that it worked _so_ well, since it was necessary.” John’s voice was deceptively calm, and for one moment, Peter really did believe that the Sheriff would kill him.

Fear unlike anything he’d ever felt before curled into the bottom of his stomach like cold hard dread. He shivered slightly under John’s intense stare that flickered between normal brown and vibrant green. 

Peter never had had much dealings with elves in the past, especially not one that was a retired Royal Guardian. However, he’d heard stories about them, and his sister had been allies with a few years ago. Perhaps this might be one of those that she had dealt with before she died in the fire. Or maybe not. 

Despite all of that, the stories about the Elven Royal Guardians were told as bedtime stories when his nephews and nieces had been small. They made good horror stories. Elves of this caliber were deemed as scary, fierce individuals who protected their own loyally and fearlessly. There usually were two different factions of the Elven Royal Guardians. One faction was the Lore Guards, who protected the Elven ancient archives, and who had immense knowledge about everything that they kept safe, just in case those items were somehow stolen or destroyed. They also were in charge of the inner realms of the Elves, content to be surrounded by their kin and the lighter aspects of Elvish life. The second faction dealt with the Blood Guards, so named for their battle wisdom and their tendency to dip into dark magics of the world. They protected the outer skirts of Elven society, content to be alone or in their small squads. They only reported to the Royal Elves, and even then it was out of necessity. Out of the Blood Guards there were trained assassins, spys, gatekeepers, seers, mages, scouts, and searchers. 

Peter had an inkling that the Sheriff was once a part of the Blood Guards, considering the slightly recognizable faded insignia on his old tunic. He wasn’t sure what type of Blood Guard, but the fact that the Sheriff could invoke terror inside of him just from one stern look made Peter wonder if he was going to make it out of this whole crapfest alive.

“So, what are you going to do? Kill me? Take my powers away? Force me to comply to your nefarious wishes?” Peter was backed into a verbal corner, and he couldn’t help but try to mask his fear by blurting out whatever it was on his mind. He growled lowly, eyes flashing red, trying to spurn the Elf into action.

However, his plan wasn’t working so well. John just kept smiling that scary smirk of his, but he did say softly, his voice deadly, “I could sit here and talk to you about things in the past. I could threaten you, torture you, or just leave you hear to _rot._ But, I am a reasonable Elf, so I am just going to say this….”

He leaned into the Alpha’s personal space, and whispered softly, “I am going to take your powers from you because you haven’t earned the Alpha-ship you possess right now. I will give it to Derek, for he deserves it moreso than you. You might think that fire tortured you and your family, but what do you think Derek has gone through? He might not have burned in the blaze, but he feels responsible for every death that has happened, including Laura’s. You had no right to kill your niece. You stepped over a line that damned your soul to hell. It is one thing to kill someone outside of the pack, another entirely to kill one of your own.”

“I had _every_ right!” Peter snapped, “She wasn’t strong enough to be Alpha! I will _always_ be Alpha, you can’t take it away from me! I’ll kill you before you can!”

Peter was desperate, and John knew it. John chuckled darkly and said chillingly, “Oh I don’t think so, Peter.” He paused for a moment and said, “You are going to _willingly_ give your powers to Derek and you will bind yourself to him as an Omega of the pack, or I will make _electrocution_ torture look like child’s play. You will not only willingly accept the lowest rank of the pack and pledge yourself to Derek, but also his mate, Stiles and to myself. My son and Derek might not have bonded completely just yet, but they will soon. I want to make sure that you will not harm anyone or the pack again. And if I get an inkling that you are going to try to get someone else to betray them or do your dirty work for you, you will _beg_ for the fires of Hell to consume you. You are to be a mindless whipped hellhound, and I your _master_ should you even think about stepping out of line. Do you understand me?”

Peter froze and stared wildly at John. “You can’t make a hellhound out of me.” He whispered, but they both knew it was a false statement.

John arched a brow and smirked, “How do you think the hellhounds came to be?” He whispered softly and reached up to stroke Peter’s wild scruff on his neck. He squeezed his hand slightly and caused the Alpha to whimper pitifully, “They were once insane, uncontrollable _Werewolf_ Alphas and the Blood Elves figured out a way to make them submit to their rule. Though I can honestly say I’ve never _owned_ a hellhound, I do know how to **create** one. And, I wouldn’t mind having one as a pet if the need ever rose.” 

He continued to stroke the scared Alpha’s neck and flashed his elvish fangs at Peter, “Don’t tempt me or your _soul_ will be **mine** to control.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek let out a pained grunt as Kate finally switched off the electricity. God, his body felt like a never ending charge of painful twitches. And, it was only going to get worse if Kate didn’t get tired of slaking her Torture – Derek lust. It sickened him how much Kate had not changed. If anything, she’d gotten more psycho hungry, and it was disturbing just as it was disgusting. 

He couldn’t remember what he’d ever saw in her as a teen. Perhaps it was the fact that she was beautiful and sickly sweet. And she knew how to fool Werewolves. It was what she was good at, among torturing them. She was a twisted nightmare, and he just hoped to God that Stiles wouldn’t have to deal with mind-fucking games.

Perhaps it was the fact that all he could sense was his own charred but healing flesh, or the psycho bitch in front of him, her taunting not giving pause. Either way it went, he was shocked when not only Scott, but Stiles eased around the edge of the doorway, motioning for him to stay quiet if he could. Derek’s heart leapt into his throat, and if he wasn’t so damned tired, he would have tried to at least warn them of how much danger they were getting themselves into.

Thoughts, though fragmented, started forming questions in his mind. Like, if Stiles was free, then where the hell was Peter? And how had Scott found them? Stiles quickly looked Derek up and down, fury igniting in his flashing red eyes. He was starting to glow a soft crimson shade of red, and Scott, noticing, had to reach out and calm the boy down with a gentle touch of a hand on his shoulder. Stiles sighed deeply, but silently, easing up on his power spikes. 

Derek felt a surge of pride go through him as he covertly looked over his mate’s form, noting that there were no injuries. It was strange that he couldn’t breathe in his mate’s scent. Perhaps that was due to Stiles learning another Elvish trick from his dad. Either that or the smell of rotted, charred flesh over ran Stiles’ mouthwatering heat scent.

Scott carefully walked around to the other side of the wall, easing himself into a hiding spot near a large support pole. Stiles nodded to him and carefully crept up behind Kate, eyes deepening in thoughtful Alpha crimson. Kate tensed, being ever the hunter, and not so high on her Torture Derek spree as to not sense when she was in danger. She slowly smiled, “Looks like I might have to take one _puppy_ down for the count, hmmm?”

She turned around and came face to face with a partially shifted Alpha Cyger, eyes glowing red with anger. She reached around to swat at Stiles with her high voltage rod, but the Cyger was faster. He grabbed it by the barrel, wincing slightly at the high thrums of electricity. Shock ran through Kate’s face as she noticed that it didn’t affect Stiles one bit. 

Flipping to the side, Kate twisted around and tried to kick at the Alpha’s face. Stiles easily whipped back, gracefully doing a back flip as well as a kick at the same time. Kate let out an ‘oof’ and collapsed against Derek, who growled at the fact that the bitch was touching him.

Stunned for a moment, Kate shook her head to clear the sparklies, but not before Stiles grabbed her by the throat and roared out, _**“Get away from my fucking mate, you asinine poor excuse for a bitch!”**_

Kate flew through the air and landed on the other side of the cell, colliding with a bunch of old boxes and crates. Stiles huffed out a pleased growl and reached down to help get that nasty torture device off of Derek. Derek whined slightly and Stiles responded by nuzzling his _mat’ij_ gently. Then Stiles wrinkled his nose, saying softly, “As soon as we get out of here, you are so taking a shower.”

Derek huffed out a soft laugh and moaned in relief when the electric live wires were torn off of his side. He bent and kissed Stiles gently, glad that his mate was safe. However, their reunion was short due to Kate getting up out of the crates, screaming out her anger and fury. Scott however, helped Derek get untied from the bars of his prison. Stiles was about to defend himself and the others from Kate, but that apparently wasn’t needed.

Allison was there, along with her father, Chris, both crossbow and rifle armed and ready to fire. “Kate, step back from them.” Chris said, voice all authority.

Allison gasped at the sight of Scott and narrowed her eyes at her aunt, who was now regarding Chris with narrowed eyes. And then Kate arched a sassy brow and said, “What’s the big hubbub, oh brother of mine?” She shrugged simply, “I am just taking care of business. We got the pack and the Alphas. Help me destroy them so they don’t keep on killing.”

“The code does not commend us to just kill Weres, there has to be a valid reason. Peter Hale is the reason, but the Sheriff has assured me that he will be leashed and contained. There is no reason for us to kill Derek or his pack.” Chris said, cocking his gun. “Put down your weapon and withdraw or I will be forced to put you down. I know about what happened in the fire.”

“Oh so the Sheriff thinks he knows, does he?” Kate smiled evilly. Then she looked over at Allison, “Wow, you look gorgeous dressed as a hunter, sweetie. When did you grow up?”

Allison said without wavering, “I’ve been in the loop for quite a while, thanks to mom.” She then said, “I was a bit shocked finding out about the Hale fire though. How could you kill innocents like that? How could you do that to them?”

Derek rubbed his wrists and leaned heavily on Scott and Stiles, breathing in their scents. Sounds of a battle could be heard coming from outside. Derek sniffed the air but couldn’t discern who was attacking who. Gunshots were being fired, growls could be heard, and finally there was a chorus of victorious roars coming from two Cyger Betas and a howl from one Jackal Beta and one Werewolf Beta.

His pack was here. And they were winning against the hunters that were on Kate’s side. Stiles smiled and said softly, “Sweet music.”

Kate sneered at Allison, saying simply, “You have no idea what this life will do to you. I had to kill them in order to keep sane. The code is useless. One day all of the Werewolves will kill everyone or make humans like them, rabid dogs the lot of them. Then she turned and glowered at Stiles. “Same goes with Werecats.”

Stiles had the grace to look affronted and shrugged, “The only thing that I want to kill very much right now is you, so you’d best shut up if you want to live for a few more minutes.” He then smiled slowly, “Then again, Peter has no qualms about killing you, so you’d probably better run before he gets here. Just as a suggestion. You murdered his family and burned him alive, so he’s definitely out for revenge.”

Kate narrowed her eyes but then suddenly everyone turned to the doorway, where Peter was standing, flexing his clawed fingers. Eerie red eyes flashed mirthlessly and he said softly, “Oh I think it’s too late for that… _sweetie_.”

Chris had originally hoped that he could somehow talk Kate down and get her into police custody, but it seemed like that plan was totally shot. Peter was quick and efficient, reaching Kate before anyone could try to do something, even if it was to shout ‘oh shit’. Kate let out a fiery scream of rage and tried to fend off the Alpha, but it was no use, Peter would not be dissuaded from his prize.

“You killed my family, and you burned me alive. _You deserve to feel it **all**_!” Peter snarled, reaching down and sinking his claws into Kate as she struggled against his grip.

Chris sighed softly and lowered his gun as the Sheriff walked in, joined by Chaser, Isaac, Erica, Alec, Jackson, Boyd, and Danny. Kate let out a scream of terror as every pain filled moment that Peter had felt during the fire and the six years of recovery streamed into her head. Finally with a maniacal smile, Peter whispered, “Payback’s a bitch.” And with that he ripped Kate’s throat out.

The silence that followed was so thick you could cut it with a butcher knife. Finally the Sheriff sighed and laid a comforting hand on Chris’ shoulder, saying, “It was for the best.”

Chris nodded, putting his gun away as Peter turned fully back into his human form and slumped back onto his heels, absently looking at the dead body of Kate below him on the ground. Allison dropped her crossbow to her side and she sobbed out a soft cry, causing Scott to go try and comfort her. Allison may have understood that her aunt had been a murderer, but she’d still been awfully close to the blond woman. It was going to be hard to deal with.

Isaac shared a softened look with Scott before he walked over to help with getting Derek and Stiles out of there. Erica looked worriedly at Peter, but then after Stiles reached out and ruffled her hair, she rolled her eyes and followed him and the others out. They could sort this out later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, there you have it! Thanks again for your kudos and comments. It inspires me to write more, so please keep them coming. The next chap will be up on SATURDAY, Feb 1, not Sunday due to the Superbowl. (Go Broncos! Hides from Seahawks fans)


	20. Chapter 20: Frustration and Regroup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot, here is another chapter for everyone. I hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks again for your kudos and comments. Please keep them coming, for they inspire me to write more. =)

**Chapter 20: Frustration and Regroup**

Derek sighed as he quickly scrubbed himself and his mate clean of the past few days of collected dirt, grime, sweat, and in the Beta’s case – _blood._ Stiles crooned softly and made sure to inspect every small injury, whether it be a bruise or cut. Derek didn’t mind the attention. Frankly, he’d love to just let his mate crawl all over him or vice versa for the next week or so. However, their pack needed to be assured that they were ok. Also due to a request from Stiles, both Derek and his mate were going to take a trip over to the hospital to check on Lydia first before the pack meeting.

Derek didn’t know how much time they really had until his possessive dominant mate hormones started overriding his senses. Stiles was still in his full blown first heat, and Derek was going to start having inner wolf issues if he didn’t get to have his mate to himself soon. Stiles would also start feeling the heat. Granted, in a crisis situation, though still weakened by hormones and fertility levels, most Weres in their first couple of heats could adjust accordingly and postpone the mindlessness of want. And though Stiles seemed to be pretty resilient so far, Derek didn’t want to push it any longer than necessary.

Stiles let out another dismayed croon as he found another fading bruise on Derek’s hip. He rubbed the spot gently and nipped at it to speed up the process of Were healing. The older Beta figured Stiles was just doing this on instinctual drive, but it still felt nice to have someone care for him like this. Overwhelming at times, yes, but Derek wouldn’t change Stiles for the world. 

Finally getting a bit exasperated at the attention, Derek growled softly and nipped at one of Stiles’ ears. Stiles huffed a soft laugh, explaining, “I totally can’t help it, dude. It’s like this indescribable urge to make sure your wounds are nipped or licked in some way. Then again, it does speed up the healing process, so cool beans.”

“Stiles…” Derek tried gently, but Stiles went on mumbling, “Shit, here’s _another_ one…. Fuck, what did that bitch _do_ to you? Never mind, I sort of don’t want to know, because otherwise I’d probably resurrect her just to kill her all over again.”

 _“Stiles.”_ Derek tried again.

This time it worked. Stiles looked up into Derek’s soft hazel eyes and sighed, curling up into the older man’s waiting arms. The spray of the shower was starting to get lukewarm, so Derek made his cuddle with Stiles short, much to both of their disappointments, and got out of the shower. They were using the main shower in the guest room due to the fact that the scents of heat and lust still permeated nearly every surface of Derek’s room and bathroom. 

No, it was a better option to make use of cleaning up in the guest room bathroom right now, for Derek figured that if they both got near his room… then they’d never get out of the friggin’ apartment. Stiles snorted in mirth as Derek acted the mother hen and towel dried him off along with himself. The Cyger/Elf hybrid didn’t seem to mind until his _mat’ij_ tried to dress him. Stiles swatted at Derek, narrowing his eyes moodily, “I can totally _dress_ myself, thank you very much.”

Derek looked a bit lost for a moment, and Stiles fought to stay firm about this – considering he still viewed himself as very independent, though all he really wanted to do was just say ‘fuck it’, grab his lover and head to bed. But, only to _sleep_ , for Stiles was incredibly tired. True, his body might not want him to sleep very much until after Derek went down on him or something, but his eyelids were starting to feel like they needed tooth picks to keep them open. 

Who knew that torture would be so exhausting? Even if Stiles wasn’t the one who got himself tortured, he still had expelled a great deal of psychological energy in dealing with Peter, Kate, and protecting Derek. At least Derek had had the sense to wave everyone off, including his dad, so that they could go back home to take a shower and regroup after taking a trip to the hospital. The pack hadn’t been satisfied, and hell his dad had wanted to argue, but then he seemed to have understood that Stiles and Derek needed some NORMALCY (haha, Stiles never thought he’d actually feel that taking a shower with a hot Werewolf mate would be considered _normal_ in his book), for at least an hour.

Poor Derek looked like a fucking zombie, the way his eyes were drooping a bit. He was literally a soft vulnerable puppy right now. A huge one. Either that or he was a big teddy bear with claws and a moody attitude. Stiles sighed and relented when Derek backed off. The older man grabbed the spare toothbrushes and handed one to Stiles, who took it with a happy tired flail. His mouth felt gross, and Derek’s breath smelled like something had crawled up in there and _died_ , due to the nasty blood he’d had to swallow from being hit so many times with whatever it was that Kate or the hunters had managed to find.

Again anger surged through Stiles at the thought of what his mate had had to endure under the hands of that wench. Derek sniffed in his direction and whispered gently, “It’s ok, Stiles.” He reached over and rubbed a soothing hand over Stiles’ back.

The Alpha Cyger/Elf shivered under his touch, but then he finally loosened his muscles. Sighing deeply, Stiles muttered, “No it’s _not_. But it will be.” He offered his mate a tired smile and started brushing his teeth. Derek did the same, though his hand was trembling. He hoped that Stiles wouldn’t notice, but the boy was very dead on with details when it came to certain things.

Stiles spat out his toothpaste and rinsed before he calmly put the brush away. He turned and leaned into Derek’s personal space and rested his head on the other man’s chest. Derek awkwardly spat out his used toothpaste and rinsed. He reached for a towel, ignoring the trembles he could see and feel in his hands. Dabbing his face off, Derek put the towel back on the counter and wrapped his arms around his mate, leaning down to scent him gently. It was comforting to have such a caring lover, even if Stiles was still too young in Derek’s mind’s eye. 

For a few long minutes, Derek had composed himself enough so they both could go to the hospital. Stiles didn’t ask him if he was ok, for the boy knew that he wasn’t and wouldn’t be for a while. Kate’s torture had reopened scars and a whole bunch of unresolved emotions along with misplaced guilt. And eventually the whole mess would start to eat Derek alive. However, at least Derek knew that Stiles would be there to help glue the pieces of his shattered soul back together eventually. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek and Stiles went into the hospital, and when the Alpha Cyger/Elf parked, he reached out and stopped his mate from getting out of the Jeep. Derek’s Camaro had been totaled, but the Sheriff knew some mechanics around town that wouldn’t mind taking a look at it, seeing as it was one of the only things left from Laura that the older Beta had. He loved that car, and not because it was a sexy fast ride. He’d been almost devastated when he’d found out what had happened to the car during the wreck, all thanks to Peter. If the car turned out to be fixable, Derek was going to ensure that Peter paid every cent into its maintenance.

The Alpha transference between Derek and Peter wouldn’t happen until Stiles’ heat had dispersed. It would just make it easier on them all, considering that Derek would probably have to relearn how to control his inner wolf, and he didn’t want to hurt Stiles. Granted, Stiles could totally hold his own, but Derek was sure that the both of them shared the same idea that teenage pregnancy wasn’t one of the things they wanted in the foreseeable future. At least not until Stiles got out of college.

Derek regarded his mate carefully and Stiles finally sighed, “There’s a spell that I can do that will make us both invisible for a bit.”

“How long is a bit?” Derek asked casually, though his eyes narrowed.

He couldn’t help it. Derek was starting to feel the edginess of his wolf and it was hard enough being in the same vehicle and space as his mate, who was definitely permeating heat vibes. Derek had to breathe almost through his mouth, and it was getting to where EVERYTHING was irritating him or distracting him. The moody Beta tried to calm down, his hands clenching into fists and unclenching again. The smell of blood pricked Stiles’ senses and he growled softy in ire.

“Dude, what is with you _Werewolves?!_ You think it’s _cute_ to have a little bit of pain whenever you get nervous or irritable?” Stiles snapped, eyes flashing red. Stiles was irritable too, and it wasn’t helping whenever his mate tried to hurt himself in order to get control over his emotions.

Derek growled lowly under his breath and his own eyes flashed blue. He bit out softly and huskily, “I am TRYING not to lose control. Believe it or not, I DON’T think you want your fucking _first time_ in the back seat of your damned **JEEP**.”

Stiles blinked, eyes wide. 

Oh.

He’d almost forgotten about his heat scent. Damn, it really must be stinking up the whole place. “Well roll down the fucking window!” He exclaimed, flailing a bit when Derek suddenly reached over and grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him nearly out of his seat.

Derek let out a threatening growl and buried his head into Stiles’ neck, breathing in his scent. God, how in the hell were they going to make it through the hospital without tackling each other? Stiles let out a boneless whimper as soon as Derek’s nose found his neck. Stiles took in a deep breath and almost regretted it. He could scent Derek’s want, as well as his own, and it was so not helping things.

Derek nipped at the skin at the nape of Stiles’ neck and then he whispered softly, “Now, how long will this invisibility spell last?”

Stiles let out a breathless moan when Derek bit down harder on his neck. But, he managed to get out, “Probably five minutes _FUCK_ tops.”

Derek huffed out a soft laugh, but then he snuffled up Stiles’ neck to one of his fey ears. He whispered huskily, his sinful voice full of intent, “Good. I don’t want to get caught _blowing_ you in there if it comes to it.”

Stiles let out a gasping keen and then he whimpered out, “Um, _shit_ , not that I don’t want you to blow me in an epically hot situation, but I only know invisible spells, not _mute_ spells… and… _and_ … **OH GOD** ” – He was cut off by Derek licking around his earlobe and nipping the sensitive tip. “I am very, _very_ loud.” He finished with a moan.

Derek let out a deep disappointed sigh, and reluctantly withdrew, but not before he kissed his lover senseless. Stiles whined when Derek pulled away. Derek’s flickered a few times as he looked his mate over, debauched as he was. The Alpha chewed on his lower lip and mumbled softly, “I still _want_ you though.”

Fuck.

Derek let out a loud growl and pounced his mate. However, before he could do much besides kiss the hell out of Stiles, they heard a phone ring. That broke them up so fast that Derek nearly bashed his head into the top of the Jeep, and Stiles almost hurt himself trying to get to his phone. 

Crap, it was Scott. 

Derek breathed out a few deep breaths, and got out of the Jeep, trying to clear his head. Damn, he’d almost lost it there. He rubbed his face as he listened to Stiles talk to Scott, planning on what time to meet at Derek’s place. After they got it hashed out, Stiles got out of the Jeep and leveled his boyfriend with an amused, but slightly petulant look. “Of all the **worst** timings….”

Derek nodded, but then added with a small irritated huff, “It served its purpose. I could have taken advantage of you….”

Stiles rolled his eyes and was about to go snuggle to make his mate feel better, but Derek shook his head and pointed to the hospital door. “You, me, invisible spell _now_.”

The boy griped for a few seconds before he finally concentrated and said the spell. Derek had no idea if it was working, and didn’t know until they walked through the ER area without getting stopped or looked at. It was weird that no one saw them at all. And sometimes peeps would look right at them, but were acting like they could see straight through them – and they probably could. 

Stiles went straight to Lydia’s room and noted thankfully it was after hours, so no one was there besides her parents. Both were softly talking outside the room, so Stiles and Derek had no hardship going inside the door that was ajar. 

Lydia was resting on a bed, looking so pale and drawn. And Stiles hated it. Absolutely _hated_ it. Yea, he had finally given up on his crush, but he’d hoped to eventually have Lydia as a friend. And now she was like a china doll with strange IV’s in her arm. It reminded him of when his mother had finally faded.

Derek reached over and rubbed his mate’s back gently, and Stiles huffed a very soft sigh. “Do you want me to, or do you want to?” Derek asked in a whisper.

Stiles shrugged, “You would know probably better, I guess.”

Derek nodded and withdrew from his mate. He carefully looked the girl over and ever so gently pulled up her bandage. Sniffing at it, he grew puzzled. “The bite is healing, but not as fast as I expected.”

“Does that mean that she won’t turn?” Stiles asked, regarding Derek in confusion.

“I don’t know what it means.” Derek admitted. “I know for one thing… she doesn’t smell like wolf.”

Stiles huffed a sigh and pulled a small tube out of an elvish pouch attached to his waist. Derek arched a brow in confusion and watched as the boy took a bit of blood residue from one of Lydia’s bandages and put it into the tube. “Deaton might be able to analyze the blood. I didn’t know this would happen, but no harm being prepared, right?”

Derek nodded and looked at his watch. Shit, they needed to leave. Their five minutes were almost up. Stiles noted the look and bit his lower lip. He turned to look at Lydia and gently touched her hand. “It’ll be ok, Lydia… you’ll see.” He leaned down and gently kissed the girl’s forehead before he turned and walked out of the room, hand in hand with Derek.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at Derek’s apartment, the pack was either lounging, or piled up in a puppy/kitty pile in the middle of the floor near the fireplace. Since both Derek and Stiles were still in a post-traumatic type of daze, even after the Alpha had wanted to go rip Peter to shreds after what he’d seen in the hospital, so it wasn’t really a wonder that all of the pack was either scenting or touching the two one way or the other. 

Derek didn’t mind the touches, though he did growl a bit at Greenberg whenever the Beta Cyger tried to get too touchy feely with Stiles. Otherwise, most of the pack knew to leave Stiles alone in that area. They instead snuffled his hair, or lazed in for a hug, or rubbed his back soothingly. They were careful not to try and act the part of a challenger, though once in a while Derek couldn’t stop himself from being possessive. It was in his nature as the dominant partner in the relationship. 

It wasn’t really about jealousy, it was more along the lines of protection. Derek knew perfectly well that Stiles could protect himself, but it eased his inner wolf if the pack backed off when told to. Sometimes it was necessary to do so, especially since Stiles was still fertile in his wolf’s eye. After that first growl of warning, Alec flushed and backed off, knowing he was still on very thin ice around everyone. Granted, the pack had accepted him into their fold, but he was still at the bottom of a big food chain. 

However, Alec also knew that Peter would soon be deduced to a status lower than him, and that made the Cyger feel way better. 

Even if it was just a smidge. Then again, most of everything that was happening to Alec was by his own fault. People make mistakes, but there are some things in a Wolf or Cyger pack that is not accepted, and attempted sexual force is one of them. Maybe someday Alec would be able to have a ‘normal’ life in the pack, but it would take a whole bunch of time and effort on his part.

Peter was currently being held at Deaton’s Vet clinic where he couldn’t get out of a completely Wolfsbane and Mountain Ash lined cell. The Vet was currently watching over him like a hawk, and was accompanied by Chris Argent for added protection, should the Alpha attempt to get out.

Otherwise, all of the pack was in Derek’s apartment. And though Derek didn’t mind the attention he was getting from the gentle ruffles through his hair and rubs on the back, he really was hoping that peeps would clear out soon. He wasn’t trying to be selfish or rude about it, but he really, really needed to bond more with his mate. Pure and simple, and the less time peeps were touching Stiles, the better.

“So, Dad, explanation….” Stiles said, looking up at the Sheriff, who was rolling his eyes in amusement at the pack’s actions.

John shrugged and said softly, “When you were captured, I went with Deaton for help. He said the only way I could fully break my seal without detection in order to help find you, would be to use a particular ritual. One that you may have heard about.” He smirked evilly and all of the pack visibly cringed.

Stiles thought for a long moment before his eyes widened and he gasped, “You _didn’t_!”

“Oh, I assure you, I **did**.” John pulled out a small corked clear vial that showed a few Werewolf hairs. “All I had to do was ensure that Peter thought I had a different way to do it, and at a different time.”

“Is someone totally lost? Because I am.” Isaac said softly, flushing a bit when Scott looked at him.

Scott said softly, “They’ll explain, don’t worry.”

“I was afraid of that.” Jackson mumbled, his head buried in Stiles chest, the Alpha gently running his fingers through the Jackal’s spiky locks.

Surprisingly enough, Jackson could get downright cuddly whenever his hair was being stroked, and Stiles seemed to figure that out pretty quickly, much to the Jackal’s dismay. Still, if it meant that Jackson was being less of an ass, then Stiles was going to ruffle the other boy’s hair through every meeting.

John snorted, but explained, “I used Peter’s ritual against him. Deaton hadn’t had time to tell everyone about what he, Jackson, and Danny had found in their hours of research about the ritual. But, when I came to him to ask for help, he was waiting for me. It is a similar method of using dark magic to bind a rogue Alpha Werewolf to a Blood Elf. However, that particular bond is more of a slave and master sort of thing, making the Werewolf completely devoid of any will at all, making them mindless hellhounds. But, this bond ritual that Deaton had found served two purposes. The first was to backfire the bond onto Peter, however allowing him free will unless I wish it otherwise, and the second was to make it irreversible.”

“Ok, so basically you made Peter your permanent bitch.” Boyd said with a small amused smile.

“Not quite, but you have the gist of it.” The Sheriff nodded, adding, “The blood ritual had to be done in order for my powers to be cloaked by a different scent and feel. So, instead of being a renegade Royal Guard Blood Elf, I am now basically a random Elven Searcher according to my new scent. My magic had to change in order for it to work. The spells themselves did take a bit of time to do, and I had to have the blood and hair of Peter in order for it to backfire against him. Once the whole place was cleared out at the Hale house, I enacted the ritual and bound him to me. I would only have a window of six hours from the time I released my powers to the time that the Searchers would find me. And the ritual itself only took an hour to do, and two more from the time I released my powers and helped Stiles to the time of the ritual, so the Searchers are probably still out there right now looking for me and finding nothing. ”

“And how in the hell did you manage to get the hair off of Peter without him thinking none the wiser?” Chaser asked, curious.

Stiles shared a small smile with Scott, and answered for him, “He got it off of him when he was setting Peter free. The Alpha must have been distracted, so he might not have noticed a bit of wolfy hair going missing. As for the blood, it was probably everywhere.”

“Not quite, but close enough.” John said. 

“What about the ritual? Isn’t there supposed to be an oath of servitude?” Scott asked, puzzled. “I remember Deaton talking about it shortly before we had to leave to go find Stiles and Derek.”

John shrugged, “Let’s just say I can be very _persuasive_ when I want to be. He gladly gave his vow, saying that he would willingly give his powers up and do an oath of servitude as the lowest ranking in the pack under Derek, Stiles and myself.”

“Sneaky son of a bitch.” Jackson whispered, and everyone basically had to agree.

Erica had the grace to say, “Glad the Sheriff is on our side.”

“No kidding.” Danny added.

“Ok, enough about Peter and Dad’s badass-ness.” Stiles said with a small quirky smile. “What about the hunters. Do we trust the Argents? I know if it wasn’t for Allison, we’d be toast or crispy Were cereal and Kate would probably still be alive.”

Everyone looked from Stiles to John, who looked over and shared a knowing glance with Derek. “The ball’s in your court, Derek.”

Derek sighed deeply and chewed on his lower lip, thinking. He hated to admit, but Stiles was right. “I don’t trust Chris.”

Everyone nodded. That was sort of a given. 

The older Beta then rubbed his face and said, “Allison, I am not so sure about either. But, it’s not like we have a choice in the matter. Let’s just play it by ear for now. If they want to delve into pack business, then we will take it up with them later.”

Scott sighed petulantly, but then sobered, knowing that Derek was only thinking about what was best for the pack. Allison might have been badass out there tonight, but she was still pretty much a stranger. He really did like her, and it was hard letting her go, but maybe when everything settled down, if it ever did, then perhaps he could be her friend.  
For now, it made sense to go ahead and let it go.

Isaac regarded Scott for a few minutes before he shyly reached out and took hold of the other boy’s hand. He couldn’t help but fear a little, wondering if he’d be rejected. Scott, however, took no notice other than to squeeze Isaac’s hand gently, setting the other Beta’s thoughts at ease.

Derek stood and stretched, before he regarded the Sheriff carefully, “Anything else we need to discuss?”

John snorted, knowing what Derek was really asking and shrugged, “Nothing that couldn’t wait until later on.”

“Good. Then everyone get out except for _my mate_.” Derek said with a bit of a bite to the last part.

Stiles let out a soft laugh as Erica smacked his forehead with a huge kiss before leaving, followed by the rest of the pack. Scott lingered a bit, but only to let Stiles know that he’d call him later. John and Chaser were the last out. Before John left he turned and regarded both kids and said, “I don’t even want to know. Just… do me a favor and be safe? Ok?”

“Ok dad, sheez, we get it. No cubs right now. Damn.” Stiles said rolling his eyes as he finally closed the door behind his dad.

He let out a small eep as he was suddenly tackled to said door with a very horny, possessive Beta Werewolf. As soon as Derek’s hands were on him, Stiles felt the heat surge into fire within his veins. He let out a soft keen and managed to turn around in his mate’s arms.

 _“Finally.”_ Derek growled, leaning down to capture his mate’s lips hungrily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the little cliffie there... it just seemed to be the best place to stop. =( so don't bring out the pitchforks, since I will totally make it up to you guys a week from tomorrow, Sunday Feb 9.


	21. Chapter 21: Lust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chappy is mostly sterek porn, so enjoy! Next chap won't be up until Monday or Tuesday, Feb 17 or 18 due to having family time this weekend. Sorry for the delay. =( Anyways, hopefully this chap will keep you all occupied until then. *cackles evilly* Thanks again for your awesome reviews and kudos. Please keep them coming.

**Chapter 21: Lust**

Stiles and Derek barely made it to the bedroom before their clothes basically started getting thrown or torn off of them in pieces. Derek growled and attacked another beckoning bare patch of skin right below Stiles’ throat, causing the boy to whine in pleasure and pain. In retaliation, Stiles jumped up and wrapped his legs around Derek’s hips, causing the older man to teeter slightly and fall with a whoosh onto his bed. 

Stiles straddled Derek for a minute, just taking in the sight of his _mat’ij_ , bare chested and panting, fangs lightly peeking out of his mouth. God, he looked good enough to _eat_. He must have said that out loud, for Derek let out a soft rumbling chuckle and sat up, nearly displacing Stiles in the process.

The Beta’s eyes flashed a bold electric blue as he took in a deep breath of Stiles’ scent. He closed his eyes in ecstasy when his mate started palming him through his black boxers. Fuck, that felt so good. Derek growled lowly and yanked his mate closer to him, if that was even possible. He arched up into Stiles’ questing hand and met his mouth with a hot, searing kiss. 

Stiles moaned loudly and instinctively rolled his hips against Derek, almost in a frantic, but coy pace. Derek rumbled out a moan before he whispered, his voice fucking wrecked, “Boxers _off_ or I shred them off.”

“I don’t know why that sounded so fucking sexy, but it did.” Stiles flashed his mate a shaky smile of mirth before he got off of Derek to pull his underwear off. Normally he wouldn’t care at all if Derek shredded his clothes. That was a hot kink of his that Stiles would love to enact sometime. However, his soft clothes were limited, especially of the elvish kind, so he kind of needed the underwear intact.

Derek went to pull down his own boxers, when he was suddenly stopped by a very hungry, horny mate. Stiles’ eyes flashed red as he bent low, hands trapping Derek’s at his sides on the bed. He caught Derek’s lusty electric gaze and tugged the underwear off with his fangs. The older Beta let out a low breathless moan, Derek feeling his cock fill even more with blood at the sight of Stiles being so possessive.

 _“Mine.”_ Stiles then said, voice raw and full of emotion as he took in the sight of Derek’s freed cock. 

He leaned down and licked a long hot, wet swipe up Derek’s cock and playfully teased the slit at the tip. Derek threw back his head and fucking howled in pained desire. Stiles licked another swipe, not quite sure were this boldness of his was coming from. However, Derek seemed to really, _really_ like it and wasn’t complaining one bit. Stiles didn’t take Derek’s cock into his mouth, however, knowing that the older Beta wasn’t used to being tied down like this.

Helpless like this. Granted, Stiles so wanted to devour Derek’s hot cock, but tonight was about release. Pure and simple, and Stiles would rather go to hell than make Derek do something he wasn’t comfortable with. Hell, they needed to figure out a safe word. 

But, all of that would have to wait until later. Instead, Stiles settled for nuzzling Derek’s cock and nest of curls before licking a twitching spot near the older man’s groin. With a loud possessive growl, Stiles sank his fangs in. Derek nearly jumped out of his skin at the feel of being marked. His eyes flashed a darker shade of blue and he howled. Fucking _howled_ out his pleasure.

Despite getting a cheek sprayed with Derek’s hot cum, Stiles figured it was all worth it. Seeing Derek lose control like that was amazing and addictive. Stiles lapped at the small pinpricks from the mark he’d given Derek and then sat up with a small purr of contentment. 

Stiles looked over his _mat’ij_ , taking in how the Beta’s body was slicked with sweat and cum. Derek’s chest and stomach heaved as the older Beta tried to take in deep breaths. Stiles could hear his rapid heartbeat, even as it started slowing down, signaling that Derek was coming down from his high. Still, the older man’s mouth stayed open in a post orgasmic gape for a few more minutes until he finally breathed out, “Jesus.”

Stiles grinned at his mate and pounced Derek for a small post coital cuddle. Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles, huffing a laugh as the Alpha murmured a satisfied and smug, “You’re welcome.”

\---------------------------------------------

A bit later, Derek took over to give Stiles his dues. The older Beta growled as he sucked in Stiles’ thick cock, loving the taste and smell of it. Stiles let out a whimper and gripped the sides of the bed, his claws coming out and retracting every so often to help him try and keep in control. He wasn’t going to last long.

At all.

Not with how good Derek’s mouth and tongue felt around his slit and cock. Once in a while Derek would tease a fang over the slit, drawing out more precome from Stiles’ body. When Stiles whined epically at another tug from Derek’s sinful mouth, the older Beta hummed a satisfied rumble deep in the back of his throat. The vibrations almost proved too much for Stiles, and the Alpha even partially shifted, eyes flashing red and fangs fully formed.

It was one of the hottest things that Derek had ever seen. 

And if Derek was in any other frame of mind than just getting Stiles’ come down his throat, he would have teased the boy into screaming out his name. But, it was only midnight, so the night was still young. And besides all of that, Stiles’ heat was going to probably stick around for another week or so. And since their bonding time had been cut short due to Peter and Kate, they would have to start all over again with it. They would be keeping to themselves the whole week.

Stiles and Derek would be able to text the pack to check up on them, but otherwise, they’d be essentially wet, naked, and frantic all week long.

To Derek, it sounded like paradise.

Stiles threw back his head and moaned out a shuddering cry, raising the hair on the back of Derek’s neck. Derek answered by dipping his head slightly to suckle on one of Stile’s soft balls. Stiles clenched his fists tighter and let out a low keen of tortured pleasure. “Derek please!” He panted out, eyes closed and mouth open.

Derek suckled the other soft ball before he finally deep throated Stiles, swallowing him whole. Stiles came with a loud shout, spraying his seed down Derek’s throat. Derek drank him all in, and he gently massaged his mate’s spread legs to offer comfort and grounding as Stiles came slowly down his high.

With another deep suck, Derek slid off of Stiles’ cock with a pop. He crawled up Stiles’ body and nuzzled the boy’s neck, arms wrapping safely around him. Stiles and Derek were content to dose for a few minutes, the raging heat abating slightly to give them a bit of time before the next wave. 

Stiles reached up and ran his fingers through Derek’s sexed up hair. The older Beta nipped at Stiles’ shoulder playfully and mumbled softly, **“Mine.”**

Stiles snorted at that, but agreed by whispering, “Always.”

\-----------------------------------------------

A bit later had Derek lazily rolling his hips into Stiles’ while the submissive Alpha was arching up to meet his thrusts. Long legs were wrapped around the Beta’s hips, and Stiles couldn’t help but be glad about his flexible limbs for once in his life. Derek and Stiles didn’t say much, besides a couple of moaning or grunting words. There was basically no need for words for now. Their lips were exploring each other’s necks, ears, and faces, and once in a while they’d heat it up by tasting tongues and open mouths. 

Derek was the king of kissing, though Stiles was racing to catch up pretty fast, considering how orally fixated he was. Derek had himself braced up on his elbows so he didn’t crush his mate, though Stiles would whine once in a while, wanting the older dominant to have his skin closer, touching his. Derek would then lean in briefly and kiss Stiles senseless, all the while arching his hips in faster, but controlled strokes.

Stiles clutched at Derek as his cock rubbed against the Beta’s. He let out a shaky moan, “Oh God, if you don’t pick up the pace, my body is going to die from blue balls.”

Derek snorted out a laugh, before he finally gave into his mate’s demands and collapsed on top of Stiles with a soft grunt. Stiles let out a happy fist pump of victory before Derek bit his shoulder in retaliation. Stiles let out a moan as Derek started quickening the pace, once in a while arching his hips more and grinding their cocks together to create epic friction.

Stiles’ eyes dilated and fiery red started becoming half lidded as Derek went in for the kill. Derek swallowed Stiles moans with his mouth and tongue, hot, wet, and distracting. Derek’s pace soon turned relentless with short, quick, sharp strokes. He reached down and hefted Stiles’ hips up higher so he could tackle him properly. Stiles held on for dear life, moaning and crying out his passions and pleasure.

Finally, it was too much, and Stiles’ cock twitched as he let out a roar of pleasure, ecstasy etched out on his face. Derek came not long after, sinking his fangs into his mate’s shoulder, his body wild and thrashing. Stiles whimpered, feeling his knot form right up against Derek’s. Derek let out a loud rumbling possessive growl and basically pounded Stiles into the bed, nearly breaking the bed and the mattress at his fast paced rut.

Stiles yowled in pleasure, eyes clenching shut as another wave of orgasm took him higher than before. He shuddered against Derek as the older man arched his hips one last time before he too answered with a howling roar of claiming and climax. Derek’s eyes fell shut as he came down from his high. He again collapsed against Stiles’, though this time not caring if he crushed the smaller man or not. Stiles huffed out an exhausted laugh as his mate basically snuggled him like a fucking pillow or stuffed toy.

Their cocks took a bit longer to go down, so Stiles and Derek had more time to rest before the next rut. Derek rolled over eventually and tugged Stiles on top of him for a post coital cuddle. Stiles did not object one bit and snuggled close to his lover, glad that he could call Derek his. And it was an epic feeling that he was also Derek’s. 

\-----------------------------------------------------

“I can’t believe I left it.” Stiles mumbled as he shuffled into the bathroom to take a piss.

“Left what?” Derek asked sleepily as he started brushing his teeth.

It was five in the fucking morning and both boys were exhausted, but unfortunately not able to sleep. Stiles’ next heat spell was due any minute, so both boys were taking advantage of relieving themselves and doing some habitual routines before hitting the sack again. Hopefully they could get through this next rut without mishap and perhaps get some more z’s before they had to eat breakfast.

Stiles, however, was pouting that he couldn’t find something that he could have sworn he’d put in his jeep eons ago. Apparently it had disappeared. Stiles finished and flushed the toilet before washing his hands and leaning up to scent his mate gently. “My vibrator.” He admitted with a small flush of embarrassment.

Derek nearly choked on his toothbrush and toothpaste. He spat out the mint flavored crap and blinked at his mate with darkened eyes. “What?” Stiles asked, confused.

“You don’t _need_ a vibrator.” Derek commented softly, and seriously.

Stiles’ eyes widened and asked, “I don’t?” 

“Nope. You have _me._ ” Derek said with an evil grin.

And that is how Stiles found himself being spread eagle in the Jacuzzi with Derek’s fingers scissoring him open. Stiles let out rapid keens and moans, loving the feel of ANYTHING Derek inside of him, even if fingers weren’t really what he wanted right about now. Derek knew how to use his fingers though and when he rubbed a certain nub inside of him, Stiles let out cries of bloody murder, nearly shouting his fucking head off.

God, he’d never thought he’d ever be this sensitive, especially when it came to his ass, and well yea, porn was porn, but there was NOTHING compared to this. Stiles shuddered through another orgasm as Derek bit into his hip, arching his fingers up against that spot more firmly. Stiles wailed a few more times and splashed in the tub, completely, and utterly sated.

For the moment.

Derek panted softly and withdrew his fingers reluctantly. He pulled his mate over for another cuddle as they let the bubbles from the Jacuzzi run over their sensitized skin. Stiles laid his head on Derek’s shoulder and mumbled, “Heats are fucking epic.”

Derek snorted and muttered, “Just wait until full bonding time.”

Stiles flushed, knowing exactly what Derek was implying. Once Derek fully claimed Stiles as his own, both of them would have sprees at the same time, and god help anyone stupid enough to try and get in between them.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Food porn was _epic_. It never really did anything to Stiles, besides give him insanely kinky ideas, but god, what HAD he been missing? Seeing Derek covered in chocolate and whipped cream? Damn. Stiles needed that, like as in an obsessive _want_. Derek didn’t mind dressing up in nothing but kinky dessert creams, but hell, when he started watching Stiles start licking it all off of his body, yea, he could totally get used to this.

However, one fantasy Derek couldn’t get out of his mind was seeing Stiles eat _strawberries_. Licking the fucking sauce off of his lips and letting the juice fall, dribbling down his throat and chest. That was a kink Derek needed as well. So, after Stiles got his fill of licking Derek dry of chocolate and whipped cream, give or take a few orgasms in between, the older Beta dressed his mate in nothing but strawberries.

Stiles didn’t know how hot it was being the actual item on the dessert menu, but after seeing what it did to Derek, he was curious. And he wasn’t disappointed when Derek treated him like the best fruit pop-sickle around. Derek’s tongue, fangs, and mouth were everywhere, same with his hands and body. He ate Stiles up and even upped the kink meter when he insisted on dipping some strawberry juice into the Alpha’s entrance. Derek ate him out then, showing Stiles just how good it felt to be fucking _devoured_.

Yea, heat cycles may suck for some, but for Stiles, they were epic due to having such a wonderful mate.

\------------------------------------------------------------

Soon however, the week passed, and with it, Stiles’ heat. And on the day after his heat had passed, Stiles felt sore, and totally done with sex. At least until he spotted how cute and sleepy eyed Derek was, wrapped around in scattered sheets. God, he so would not get enough of seeing Derek’s beauty. With a loud yawn and a long needed stretch, Stiles got up and shuffled into the bathroom.

Derek rolled over in the meantime and dosed for a bit, taking in the scent of Stiles’ fading heat. 

He sighed a breath of relief that it was finally over. Until next season, when his own heat would come into play. Not really wanting to think about that, Derek burrowed himself more into his Stiles’ scented pillow and let himself drift. It felt good to be finally over this heat hurdle. Granted, he had fun with Stiles and loved being with him during his heat, but still, it had been hell on earth keeping his cock from plundering into his mate’s tight ass.

It’d be even worse once his own heat came into play. Thank god they had another month or so to think of things and plan. Yawning epically with morning breath, Derek finally got out of bed and shuffled to the kitchen to make some breakfast. 

He picked up his phone and noted that there were a few random texts from the pack, but nothing serious, so he busied himself with making omelets. Stiles took his time in the shower, though once he finally graced Derek with his presence, he absently hugged his mate to him and kissed him on the chin as a thank you for breakfast. Derek smiled slightly as he watched his sleepy mate plonk down on a sofa to munch on his omelet. 

Having a mate… was awesome. Especially if that mate was Stiles.


	22. Chapter 22: Transference

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, very short chapter, sorry about that! I am still playing catch up to Real Life, so sorry about having such a short chappie. The next chap will be up on Sunday, Feb 23, and will be much longer =) Otherwise, I hope you enjoy a bit of fluff. Thanks again for your kudos and comments, they inspire me so please keep them coming. Also, those of you who read my other fanfic Madness - I won't be able to work on another chap of that one until probably Friday. Sorry about that as well =(

**Chapter 22: Transference**

Derek crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for Deaton and Chris to haul Peter inside the apartment. The rogue Alpha was growling lowly his displeasure at being not only bound but drugged with just enough Wolfsbane to keep him tame. The whole pack was sitting around the fireplace, though Stiles, his dad, and Chaser were standing beside Derek to give him more of a protective flank if nothing else.

Derek didn’t feel that he needed the protection, but he was still grateful to have it. As his mother had always instructed, never look at a gift horse in the mouth. Scott scratched the back of his head and asked softly, “You sure they don’t need help?”

The Sheriff shook his head no, pausing a bit to hold up the small vial of Peter’s fur. Once Peter caught sight of the hair, he narrowed his eyes at the Elf but otherwise quieted down. As Chris and Deaton handled him with efficient force, Peter finally mused softly, “You used my ritual against me, didn’t you?”

John smirked evilly and nodded, making everyone else in the room besides Peter feel very, very glad to be on the Sheriff’s side. John’s fair elven face sobered and he leveled the rogue Alpha with a glower of steel. “Remember what I told you would happen if you fail to the terms of our agreement.”

“It wasn’t like I had a choice. Fuck you, you bastard. If I had a fair fight I’d kill you where you stand.” Peter shot back, eyes flashing a weak red. 

John arched a sardonic eyebrow, turning to his son and handing the vial of hair and blood to him for safekeeping. Stiles suddenly felt kind of sorry for Peter at that moment, but it was such a small pang that his anger over what this man had put Derek through totally outweighed it completely. John narrowed his eyes and whispered in a deadly voice to Deaton and Chris, “He wants to play for a minute, let him play. Release him.”

The whole pack blanched but quickly backed up and moved sofas and chairs out of the way to give the Sheriff and Peter room to do some damage. Derek raised his eyes to the ceiling at the thought of more things to repair, but also figured Peter deserved what was coming to him. Stiles reached over and took Derek’s hand, interlacing their fingers together. Derek answered the act by leaning in to scent his mate reassuringly before both stepped back to give John and Peter room.

Deaton simply smiled and nodded, “I will just set up the consent circle.” He waited until Scott and Isaac were in position of keeping the door guarded so that Peter wouldn’t be able to escape that way. Erica and Alec flanked the high windows of Derek’s apartment, at the ready just in case. Both Boyd and Danny took up arms near the staircase. 

Apparently those two had felt a bit useless after Stiles and Derek got captured by the hunters, so they had been learning how to protect themselves and the pack by using guns and crossbows. Boyd was really good with a crossbow, and Danny was excellent with pistols. And after a few conversations with Derek and the others of the pack in the first few weeks after Stiles’ heat, everyone had come to an agreement with the Argents. Chris and Allison were to help only when the need called for it, but Allison’s blooming friendship with Lydia and Scott had spurred her into action. She had offered to help train Danny and Boyd. Derek wasn’t too keen about having the humans be trained to be hunters, but he knew that it would be beneficial in the long run.

Especially if both humans stayed human.

And though the pack really didn’t trust Allison, they figured that learning from her was ok. For now. Lydia was still in a coma, though the doctors were optimistic that she would be waking soon. Her wounds had been healing at a normal rate, and every time Stiles and Derek or one of the pack went to visit her, they still hadn’t smelled the scent of wolf on her.

It was puzzling to think that Lydia might be immune to the bite. It also didn’t help that the blood sample Stiles had taken from her had come up as normal by human standards. Deaton had his suspicions about Lydia, but he wasn’t completely sure about his theories. So, he had stayed annoyingly vague about the matter, at least for now.

It had been decided that tonight would be the best time to have the transference of Alpha-ship from Peter to Derek, considering it was just after the full moon. This way, Derek would be able to have more time to learn to control his new found powers before the next full moon. At least Stiles and the others would be there to help him along the way.

After everyone was set in their areas of defense and possible offense, Chris and Deaton released Peter from his bonds and even administered the antidote to his Wolfsbane poisoning. The rogue Alpha could have made a run for it, even if he was outnumbered. But, his prickly pride got in the way of his survival instincts and he went after the Sheriff to teach him a lesson.

However, John was ready for him and easily whipped around, slamming a gust of wind power into the Alpha, flinging him across the room into a wall with a thud. Not to be dissuaded, the annoyed and pissed off Alpha shifted fully, the Wolfsbane effects wearing off rapidly, and went after John. John let out a manic laugh, causing the temperature in the room to drop to a chilly foreboding atmosphere. The Elf toyed with the Alpha for less than a minute, before John had Peter on the ground, bloody, defeated, collared, and submissive.

Everyone took it in stride, and Scott even told Stiles that seeing the Sheriff do that shouldn’t still amaze and horrify him at the same time. Stiles shrugged and said, “He’s always been badass, human or elf to me, so it’s not really surprising to me.”

John had flashed his son a small proud smile before he nudged the submissive, cowed Alpha up off the floor. He flickered his eyes to an electrifying green, warning, “Don’t test me again, or I will turn the collar on and turn you into a Hellhound. Understand?”

Peter glowered at John, but everyone in the room, including the humans could smell the stench of his fear. The Alpha nodded, not even reaching up to try and claw the collar off. Perhaps he understood that he was whipped. Either that or he knew that no matter what he did now, he wouldn’t be able to get the collar off without the Sheriff’s permission. One false move and he’d be a puppet.

So, Peter knowing that he definitely had no choice to accept his fate, the Alpha went inside the almost completed mountain ash circle and crouched down on his knees, fully human now. John positioned himself outside of the circle, but was able to reach over and hold the Alpha down firmly in place just in case it was needed.

Stiles stood behind his mate as Derek sat down in front of Peter.

It was now or never.

\----------------------------------------------------------

After the ritual was done, Derek and the rest of the pack, sans Peter, Alec, John, Chaser, Chris, and Deaton, went running out in the Preserve. The hunters had set up a perimeter of the area to ensure that the pack would be protected from outside forces. How long this treaty agreement would last, Derek wasn’t sure, but he didn’t have that on his mind currently.

The wolf inside him felt high on endorphins and power, it practically itched his skin. Perhaps this is what Stiles felt like whenever he had the urge to shift into his Alpha form. Derek normally wouldn’t mind shifting into his Beta form to go running with his pack, but with this new power surge, he wasn’t sure if it was actually a wise idea to do so. Then Stiles had shifted fully and nipped at his hip in play, and all hell broke loose.

His wolf shifted without his permission for the first time in quite a while, and he basically went along for the ride as he raced through the trees chasing after his mate. He never felt so alive, or out of control in his life. It both felt exhilarating and scary at the same time, and Derek was just hoping against hoping that the pack didn’t get hurt due to his lack of control.

Stiles seemed to understand what his inner wolf needed though, and let Derek chase him all over the Preserve, exhausting them both so much that the rest of the pack found them hours later in the middle of the forest cuddled up in their Alpha forms resting. Erica, Scott, Isaac, and Jackson plonked down either around or on top of the Alphas, breathing in safety, and the sense of pack. 

Stiles took the time to run his gaze over his mate’s Alpha form and found that he liked it. It wasn’t nearly as monstrous as Peter’s form had been. Derek was definitely larger than Peter was, but his body looked like a sexy Werewolf that Hugh Jackman portrayed in Van Helsing. Despite being a huge, terrifying looking wolf, Stiles totally loved every bit of it. He leaned over and nuzzled the other Alpha’s neck and Derek let out a contented rumble, turning to snuffle his muzzle into Erica’s hair.

They stayed like that for a few hours, just enjoying the comfort only a pack can bring, but eventually Stiles and Derek roused the pack to head back home. Strange that Stiles figured that Derek’s apartment was home, but that’s essentially what it was. And even though the Searchers had finally left the area, Stiles was still going to stay at Derek’s. His dad would probably move back into his own place, and Stiles would visit, but that was ok. 

John probably didn’t like the thought of having Stiles be away from the house like that, moving in with Derek on a more permanent basis, but it was better than taking away the Alpha’s freedom. Besides, Stiles still needed training, and John would have plenty of time to teach his son as well as work at the station. He’d probably have to put up another glamour and show his son how to do one too to avoid suspicion, but at least they both wouldn’t have to be sealed up when it came to powers.

Stiles and Derek parted ways with the pack at the Hale property, changing back into their human (or elf) forms to put their clothes back on. Stiles promised Scott some alone bro time in the next week or so, and the Beta had left the area with a happy smile on his face, Isaac trailing after him like an adorable puppy. Erica met up with Boyd and headed home, and Jackson did the same with Danny.

Derek and Stiles made it home without much talk, but it wasn’t a heavy silence that filled the air. Everything seemed right in the world for now, and though it made the boys twitchy thinking about it being another calm before a storm, they forced themselves to relax and revel in this experience of pack and Alpha pair bonding. 

Once back at the apartment, the remaining pack members left, Chris supervising Alec for a change, and Deaton and John supervising Peter. Though Peter was now the lowest on the totem pole of the pack, he still was dangerous. And until his emotions got under control, he’d have problems with being by himself. John and Deaton would take turns supervising the older former Alpha, and Chris had took it upon himself to supervise Alec, since the teen was still deemed as untrustworthy.

Stiles and Derek took a lengthy shower before heading to bed for a much needed rest. Stiles wasn’t feeling as exhausted as Derek, but he so didn’t mind cuddling his lover to him that night, his ears listening to every sound nearby so that his mate could actually sleep. Derek didn’t have nightmares that night, and felt refreshed the next morning.

He had the urge to bite something though, so he nuzzled Stiles’ neck and started littering the marking area with hickeys and light nips. Stiles let out a soft chuckle at the act and put up with it, figuring he so could get used to waking up to Derek scenting and cuddles.


	23. Chapter 23: Back at School and Fuck My Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long to post today! But, here it is at least. Also, big surprise at the later part of the chapter, but if you were looking at the clues I left in previous chappies, you would have had an inkling of where this was going ;) I won't spoil it for you though. Anyways, next chappie will be out on Sunday, March 2. =) Thanks again for your kudos and comments, please keep them coming.

**Chapter 23: Back at School – Fuck my LIFE**

Stiles let out a loud yawn as he shuffled his way to Chemistry. God, why did he have to be reminded as to why he hated Mondays? Oh that’s right, because his dad figured that it was time for his son to go back to school. Stiles had been able to get the glamour down pretty easily, and now he almost wished he hadn’t learned so quickly how to do it. Still, everyone at school seemed to not care if he was back or not, which was normal. At least he had most of his pack with him to help keep the boringness of school to a minimum.

Sitting down in Chemistry felt like such a chore though, especially with an asshole like Harris teaching it. Seriously, if the idiot hated kids, then why was he teaching? Some peeps with no imagination whatsoever compared Harris with Professor Snape from Harry Potter. But, Stiles couldn’t see much of a resemblance. True, both men were assholes, but Snape definitely had a snark unmatched, and his humor made Stiles laugh hysterically all the time. Harris just made him want to hurl into the nearest lab bucket. Also, Snape was in a class all of his own and turned out to be a hero in the end (along with getting the worst shortest end of the stick by the way), whereas Stiles believed Harris to be just a stuck up twit who loved annoying people all the time. There is no way in hell’s outhouse that Stiles could see Harris doing anything heroic one bit.

Scott sat down next to Stiles and gave him a goofy smile, instinctively making his buddy give a smile in return. See, this is one of the reasons why Stiles loved Scott. Scott knew when someone was having an epic terrible day and managed to make it better by just a friggin’ puppy cute smile. And it also managed to annoy Stiles to no end that his buddy had that kind of power. Stiles yawned again and rested his head on his chemistry book.

“Fuck my life.”

“Oh come on, Stiles. It’s not that bad. Look on the bright side. At least you don’t have to worry about my terrible handwriting – trying to decipher notes, right?” Scott offered, and Stiles rolled his eyes, but huffed a laugh in return.

Stiles straightened and rubbed his eyes a bit. He noted that someone was staring at him. Blinking a bit confusedly, Stiles turned and spotted Isaac, who had come in almost stealth like and had sat down behind him. He waved at the nervous boy and Isaac waved shyly back. 

“What’s with the creeper staring?” Stiles muttered to Scott after both Danny and Jackson started doing the same time after they came in and sat down nearby.

Erica and Boyd waltzed in about that time, early enough to hear the question. Erica sat down in front of Stiles, but turned and smiled a big one at her Alpha, saying, “Chill it, Stiles. They just aren’t used to seeing you human.”

Stiles blinked and leaned back in his seat. He fiddled with his pencil thoughtfully and finally said softly, “I didn’t think it mattered. I’m still me. I was me before hand. I am still me.”

“Yes you are, but you are also badass and epic – super hero now.” Scott said with a smile, nudging his buddy gently.

Stiles mood lifted slightly, though he did narrow his eyes at his best buddy, “I thought I was badass and epic – super hero before I got turned.”

“Well you were, but you are moreso now.” Scott amended, though he rolled his eyes.

Harris coughed slightly and said in a snide voice, “Do I need to separate the both of you again, Mr. Stilinski and Mr. McCall? If I seem to recall correctly, this class is called Chemistry, not gossip hour. And just because you’ve been out ill for several weeks, I still would have thought you would have remembered that this establishment is school, or am I pushing your IQ levels?”

Stiles bit back a retort, and he blinked as Erica flashed a predatory grin at him. “Let me handle this.” She stood and Stiles finally took in her appearance. Strange that he hadn’t really noticed before. Erica had started making her appearance look better in the past weeks after she’d gotten bitten, but not like this. Erica’s hair was like epic model blonde curls, along with the saucy makeup and killer black clothing to boot. Damn, if he’d been any normal guy in the room, he’d be staring too. But, he wasn’t classified as normal. 

And he was sort of glad. It was as if Erica had turned into a heartbreaker overnight. 

Erica pranced over to the front of the room and handed the moody teacher a note. Harris looked it over and flushed scarlet before he coughed and said, “Understood. You may be seated, Miss Reyes.”

Erica preened and went back to her seat, swaying her hips at each step. Yep, Stiles was definitely glad that he wasn’t like any ‘normal’ teenage boy. He looked at her in question and she shrugged, “Your old man gave us notes to give to each of the teachers in case they acted hostile about you missing classes. So, this might have been a sketchy timing for it, I figured it was enough to get the point across to the dweeb.”

Stiles’ eyes brows rose, “Well that was nice to know. Wonder why he didn’t tell me himself or give me the notes himself.”

Jackson snorted and flicked the Alpha upside the head. “That’s because he probably knew you’d milk it for what it’s worth, Stiles.”

Stiles didn’t know whether to be offended by the comment or be internally leaping for joy that this was the first time he’d heard Jackson say his name instead of his last name. So, Stiles settled for a deep sigh, nodding and letting that one go. The Jackal smiled a bit and started taking notes as Harris started the lesson. Danny just shook his head and laughed softly. Scott leaned back in his seat and smiled. Perhaps things weren’t so bad with most of the pack around.

Still, he kind of missed having Derek around. And by lunch, Stiles was nearly going bananas at not being able to have time to text his lover. As he sat down at his pack’s table, he huffed and pulled out his cell, not caring who saw. He had four missed texts, two from Derek, and two from his dad. The two from his dad just stated that he’d be late for training, but to start without him with Derek’s help. The ones from Derek were:

_Hope you have a good day at school. Don’t try to annoy anyone too much._

_I mean it Stiles._

Stiles rolled his eyes. Rude. He texted back, _Nice to know you care so much, Buttercup._

Stiles snorted when he got a text back almost instantly, _Don’t call me that, unless you want me to start going down the list of achingly adorable cat names._

 _You wouldn’t dare._ After a second’s thought, Stiles added, _Then again, you probably would just to prove a point._

 _Exactly, Fluffy Socks._ Derek replied.

Stiles let out a soft laugh and texted back instantly, _OMG, that totally sounds like a Porn Star name. Stage name and all. Fido. Balto. Woofy. Spike. Tramp._

 _If I am Tramp, does that mean you are Lady, and got a sex change and a species change while I didn’t know?_ Derek spat back, causing Stiles to nearly drop his phone in surprise.

Holy cow, Derek was epic when he was on a role. Stiles texted back, _You would know, sugar. Since you like almost mauled me last night._

Scott sat down and glimpsed at Stiles’ phone and wished he hadn’t. “Oh my god, you two are terrible, you know that right?”

Stiles shrugged, “It’s not my fault you aren’t getting some.”

Isaac sat down and shrugged, “Oh I wouldn’t say he isn’t. He just hasn’t been awake yet.”

Stiles’ eyes nearly bugged out of his head as Scott flushed scarlet. 

“Dude, seriously?” Boyd sat down, arching a brow as Erica plonked down next to him.

“Ooh, are we talking about Scott’s sex life? Or lack there of?” Erica asked, arching a delicate brow playfully.

Isaac looked at Scott apologetically, “I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. It’s hard to have any privacy when you can hear you master –“

“WOA, and I thought I had the worst brain to mouth filter.” Stiles broke in, laughing softly and saving Scott from epic embarrassment.

Scott was about to thank him, but then Jackson and Danny sat down. Jackson pointedly looked at Isaac and said, “Well, if it bothers you so much, then just suck him off. That would solve both of your frustrations.”

“OMG, are you seriously channeling your inner Lydia again?” Danny laughed, though he sobered when Isaac and Scott both flushed crimson.

Stiles blinked and looked at both boys and suddenly things started to click. “Oh wow. You two… AWESOME!”

“What?” Scott asked just at the same time Isaac bleated out, “That’s not it!”

Stiles snorted and hugged his buddy, saying softly, “It’s ok, you are still in denial. But, Isaac’s pretty patient, aren’t you?”

Isaac flushed even more and he bit his lip before he said softly, “I am just going to sit here and die from epic embarrassment. So, don’t mind me if I stop breathing.”

“Oh come on, don’t be all Emo.” Stiles teased, but then let up when Isaac looked down at his tray, visibly shaking. 

He reached over and rubbed a gentle reassuring hand over the goth boy’s shoulders. Isaac instantly relaxed and stopped trembling, and he offered the Alpha a relieved smile. Scott was still trying to get what had just happened and when he finally did, he reached over and slugged Stiles hard on the shoulder.

“Ow, what was that for?” Stiles whined, rubbing his arm.

Scott blinked, “For being an epic dickhead.”

“Yea, ok, guess I deserved that one.” Stiles conceded, and Scott nodded moodily.

But, despite being irritated with eachother, the pack got through the rest of their classes easy enough and Stiles was checking his phone after the last class got out when he heard the sound of a revved up Camaro coming into the school parking lot. 

He rolled his eyes at Derek’s dramatics and mentally wondered if the Alpha was trying to go for an Edward approach. He certainly hoped not. Stiles headed out the front school doors and spotted Derek pulling up next to the front stairs. He was wearing epic sunglasses, his leather jacket, and oh god, Stiles was already in horny meltdown mode.   
He quickly looked down at his phone and blushed as a text popped up from Derek stating simply _I might have to resample to make sure nothing’s changed, Fancy Princess._

Derek turned to look at him in the window and grinned slowly, and with predator like intent. Stiles felt his groin tighten and he rubbed his face a bit to get the sweat off of his palms. He nodded to the others passing by and then finally headed down the steps to get into the car. 

Before he did so, he leaned into an open passenger side window, “You know, this is totally sweet and all, but I have my jeep….”

“Scott will drive it to the apartment. We have a pack meeting anyways, remember?” Derek said, still keeping up his epic hot smile.

Stiles rubbed his face again and said, “I dunno, Scott sometimes can get carried away and I don’t want my baby to get damaged….”

“Stiles.” Derek gritted out, “Get in the car. Now.”

“Ok! Stop being so pushy!” Stiles mock flailed as he got into the passenger seat.

Despite being an Alpha in his own right, Stiles buckled in his safety belt, not one for ignoring the fact that freak accidents happened. He’d rather not be impaled by something or cut in half by the dashboard should Derek get into a car accident. Stiles rubbed the soft seat leather and arched a brow at Derek, “First ride?”

“Yep.” Derek nodded with a smile, pulling the car out of the parking lot.

“Peter pay every cent?” Stiles assumed.

“Yep.”

“Awesome.”

“Yep.”

For a few minutes Stiles was quiet and contemplative, but it didn’t last.

“I love you.” Stiles said casually, and for a moment there was silence. But before he could get nervous about the silence, Derek sighed softly.

“I know. I love you too.” Derek murmured, reaching over and pulling Stiles’ hand into his, giving it a comforting squeeze.

Stiles felt his heart nearly burst and melt at the same time. And for a while nothing was said. Finally, Derek asked softly, “You hungry?”

“Oh god, I love you even more now. YES.” Stiles moaned softly, rubbing his stomach.

Derek rolled his eyes and laughed softly in answer.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

After Stiles and Derek had a rare takeout dinner of Chinese, the two went back to the apartment to get ready for training and the pack meeting. Stiles had waited a full thirty minutes after eating to start training, that way he’d not hurl all over Derek’s flooring a few minutes in. He set his feet stance and started going through the movements. Derek paced him and offered a few good techniques of Werewolf defense and offense, and Stiles took all to heart like a sponge.

There was one point where both Alphas were interacting with one another, and by the time the Sheriff could get off work and come over with the rest of the pack, the two were still at it. John crossed his arms over his chest and dropped his glamours as soon as he noted everyone was there. Despite already eating, Derek had set up and ordered several pizzas for the pack meeting, knowing how teenager stomachs were.

Everyone formed a circle around Derek and Stiles so they could watch and step in if needed. However, Stiles nor Derek lost their cool and were actually enjoying themselves by sparring. Derek twisted around and reached for Stiles, but took a hit in the abs for his troubles. Derek then did a characteristic backflip kick and landed on Stiles, but only a glancing blow. Stiles staggered slightly and started running towards the windows. He used his momentum to run up the windows siding and flipped over to tackle the other Alpha to the ground. Both rolled and paced themselves, making hits and fakes, moving fluidly and together as if they were two parts of the same person.

John watched with a small smirk on his face. His son and his mate were beautiful to watch in action. They acted so in tune with one another that it was like a symphony in the form of two Alphas. At the end of the training, both boys were sweaty, but not in the least bit tired. So, they took on the Betas, one by one, including Alec and Peter. Peter was still recovering from his demotion, but he was doing a bit better in the brain department.

John was ensuring to keep a strong fist over Peter, and the former Alpha understood this, and for the most part was meek. But, not one person trusted him, and so they treated him like the scum he was. John did catch Peter watching the two Alphas with keen interest, and there was a calculating gleam in the Beta’s eyes that the Elf didn’t like one bit. So, when the meeting was over, John took Peter aside when they got back to the Stilinski house and pushed him up against a wall.

“You are plotting something that you shouldn’t be plotting.” John growled lowly, eyes flaring green in dominance, teeth flashing in anger.

Peter shivered in fear but he tried covering it up with mock bravado, “So what if I was? It’s not like I can act on it! I am not a threat.”

John narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath of Peter’s fear. He then exhaled slowly and stepped back, releasing the Beta. Peter watched as the Sheriff backed down, but as the Elf turned, an insane thought crossed his mind. The Beta went for it, letting out a roar of pain as John caught him at it and slammed him again into a wall, this time a drawn dagger at his throat. Peter let out a whine and whispered hastily, “I was just going to touch your hair! HONEST!”

John arched a brow, fierceness momentarily stopped in it’s tracks. What was Peter playing at now? “Touch my hair?”

“Yes, it’s epic gorgeous hair. My bad. It won’t happen again.” Peter vowed, though his eyes told differently.

John blinked slowly and felt something deep inside of him switch on. His eyes widened and he backed away, stunned. For one long moment both men looked warily at eachother, one totally gobsmacked, the other confused. Finally John murmured softly, “It’s late. You can sleep on the couch.” And with that, the Elf practically fled up the stairs, but not before snapping his fingers to ensure everything was warded for the night.

Peter stared after the Sheriff, blue eyes puzzled. He sniffed the air and caught the scent of something sweet and spicy. Was that what he thought it was? He sniffed again and felt his gut tighten in a way it hadn’t in quite a while. 

He sat down on the couch in the living room and for a time he stared off into space, thinking calculating thoughts into his head. He had to admit that he hadn’t seen this one coming. Not one bit. And yet, if his plans played out, he’d have to be extra careful from now on. It might be a good thing that the Sheriff found him attractive, but Peter knew all too well that it’d take a bunch of time and a whole lot of effort on his own part to gain the Elf’s trust.

If he could gain it at all.

With that thought in mind, Peter slowly smirked. He’d overcome worse odds before.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John sat down on his bed with a tired and still shell shocked sigh. When did his life get so fucking difficult? Granted, he’d told Stiles the truth that Wolves mated for life. But, for Elves, it was a bit different. Most of the time, if fate smiled upon them, Elves mated for life. But, if things happened, then an Elf could marry again. Granted, it wouldn’t be the same as their first loves, but it was still love and caring. He knew Claudia wouldn’t have wanted him to stay single for the rest of his days.

He snorted mirthlessly. He figured he already knew what Claudia would say to this choice. But it really hadn’t been his choice if he truly thought about it. Yes, he enjoyed dominating, and he knew this. Hell, he didn’t even hide that as a secret anymore, not even from the pack. Domination was sort of a Blood Elf trait, male or female. And he did recall that some of the Dominate Blood Elves tended to have trysts with their Hellhounds. But, those were perverted and way out of line. 

John wasn’t like that at all. If he was going to fuck a partner into the ground he was going to have that person willing and of their own frame of mind. He put a hand through his long brown hair and tried to think things through. He knew Peter would probably figure out his attraction to him. The Beta was smarter than he looked. And the Beta would probably try to use it to his advantage.

But, John still had the keys to Peter’s survival. And until the Beta proved himself as a changed Wolf, there was no way in hell that he’d open up to him. He couldn’t love someone he couldn’t trust. It was plain and simple. 

But, John didn’t like the thought of turning into Peter’s dominate without emotional attachment. It wasn’t right, and the Elf knew that he couldn’t afford to risk everything he’d ever strived for and the pack just because of his attraction. Not only that, he had Stiles to think about right now.

Nope. There was no way in hell that he’d give into his attraction.

He was so fucked…..


	24. Chapter 24: Lydia and Elf Training Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey peeps, thanks again for the kudos and comments. They are epic and make me more inspired everyday. So, please keep them up! The next chap will be up on Sunday, March 9. =) Enjoy.

**Chapter 24: Lydia and Elf Training Lessons**

As Stiles and Derek rode over to the hospital in the Werewolf’s Camaro, the Elf/Cyger Alpha was trying to ignore his nervousness by distracting himself. He was currently asking Derek random questions so he could get to know his _mat’ij_ better. And in turn, Derek was doing the same. Derek wasn’t usually one to open up about himself, but he figured he owed it to Stiles to do this.

Plus, it was pretty fun learning random things about your mate that you had no idea about. 

Also, if it kept Stiles from ripping off the car door, shifting into his Alpha form, and racing to the hospital by himself, then Derek didn’t mind it so much. 

The news had come earlier that morning that Lydia had finally regained consciousness. Though no one was allowed to go in and see her besides her parents still, the pack had taken extra measures to keep an eye on the area and on her easily slipping past security and orderlies. So far Lydia hadn’t been able to remember much, though she was really tired and crabby as hell – which was to be expected. 

Since it was a Saturday, and some of the teens had Lacrosse practice, Stiles hadn’t been able to go see her. So, Derek had offered to take him over after practice. Stiles, not really comfortable showering in the boys locker room in school, had drove over to ‘their’ apartment so he could clean up and change. He didn’t want to offend Lydia too much at this point. Jackson was with Lydia now, since he never had any qualms with showering in the locker rooms at school. Plus he’d got his dad to write him a note for Coach to skip the last half of practice. However he was being very inconspicuous and made sure to watch his ass whenever the doctors, nurses, or parents were around. So far he hadn’t been caught, which was an amazing thing in and of itself. 

There were layers upon layers that made up the psyche of the pack, and Jackson was no different. On the outside, the Jackal was a total douchebag that loved preying on weaker peeps or just being a general jackass. He’d gotten better in the past few weeks with the pack, and it seemed to make everyone a bit more at ease around him. Jackson may not fit completely in the pack just yet, but he was well on his way towards it. 

Despite being prickly and thorny as they come on the outside, on the inside everyone in the pack were realizing that he was a very insecure teen who had a heart and didn’t know how to show it or use it. Every once in a while he’d lash out at the others when his insecurities got the best of him, but other than that, he was way milder than what he’d been a few months back. 

He may not know how to use his heart much, but there was one person he cared about a great deal, and that was Lydia. 

And Stiles had to admit that the feelings were reciprocated. Perhaps he’d been a little harsh on judging Jackson’s character. Food for thought.

“Favorite color.” Derek rumbled off, reaching over to take Stiles’ hand into his, squeezing it gently.

Stiles smiled and shrugged, “Red, usually. Sometimes green hazel. Yours?”

Derek thought for a long moment before he glanced nervously over at Stiles and then back towards the road. Stiles arched a brow and waited patiently, though he was bobbing his knee in agitation. Derek rubbed Stiles’ fingers to soothe him, before he finally answered, “Red, and honey brown.”

“We aren’t very subtle are we?” Stiles smirked, knowing that both of them had essentially labeled each other’s eye color in both human/elf and Were forms.

Derek shrugged. He then thought up another question as they turned onto a different road passing the Preserve. “Favorite gemstone?”

Stiles blinked and thought hard about it for a good long minute. Finally he laughed softly, “Black Opal. You?”

Derek admitted, “Navy Blue Sapphire.”

Stiles thought up the question this time. “Favorite breakfast food?”

Derek rolled his eyes at that one. He snorted and sheepishly stated, “Anything with bacon in it.”

“Oh my god, don’t make me re-enact the Beggin commercial for dogs.” Stiles teased.

“Shut up or I will start making fun of your recent tuna fetish.” Derek shot back, and grinned when Stiles muttered a soft ‘prick’ at him. “Yours?”

Stile thought about and smiled, “Omelets. Any kind of omelets. I could so live off of them, curly fries, and chocolate Kahlua cake, which is to die for.”

Derek perked his ears in interest at the last item. “Kahlua – isn’t that some sort of liquor?”

“Oh my fucking god, you mean you haven’t baked with that stuff?” At Derek’s glare, Stiles snorted and stated happily, “We are so going to stop by the store to get some so I can make you some. Seriously, the cake is like orgasm in your mouth.”

Derek rolled his eyes at his mate’s antics, but went along with it.

They didn’t get to question each other much else because they arrived at the hospital not long afterwards. Stiles got out of the car nervously and sighed miserably when he looked at the building. “I fucking hate hospitals.”

Derek reached over and pulled the boy into his arms for a gentle hug, mindful that there were no one out there watching them. He scented Stiles’ neck a bit before pulling back, giving encouragement and also giving the Alpha a silent understanding that he’d be there for him, should Stiles need him. Stiles smiled at him in thanks, before he put up an invisibility spell around the two of them.

Derek walked hand in hand with his mate to the area where Lydia was being taken care of, and quickly dissolved their ‘cloaking’ device, lest they scare the shit out of Jackson. The boy was sitting near her bedside, looking incredibly worried and vulnerable. It tore at Stiles’ heartstrings and before he knew it, he was walking over to rub the Jackal’s shoulders gently. Jackson could smell them before they came in, but he appreciated the touch, though he would be caught dead ever saying so. Derek headed over to the other side of Lydia and looked her over carefully.

He could smell that her wound was almost completely healed on the outside, though there would always be a vivid scar on her side from it. Stiles asked softly, “How she doing?”

Jackson shrugged, “She’s drowsy with all of the pain meds they’ve been giving her, but otherwise the doc said she is doing very well. No infection or anything like that has set in.”

“That’s always a plus.” Stiles said, and the Jackal nodded. He then looked up at both Alphas with worried eyes. “It’s weird. She can’t really remember much, and I know she’s confused, but sometimes I think she does remember and she doesn’t want to tell me about it.”

“Probably because she thinks it’s all a terrible dream.” Derek said softly. “Humans sometimes act that way whenever they have a traumatic event.”

Stiles nodded. “That’s true. Maybe if she is getting confused, it might be best to let her in the pack anyways?” He looked at Jackson, who had stiffened slightly at the comment, “I know no one likes it, especially not you, but if we don’t know what she is, and she’s confused like this, it may be the best choice. If she knew about us, and knew what happened to her – Lydia’s smart, and I know she’d be able to find out what’s going on with her more than we ever could find out. Am I right in thinking this?”

Jackson thought about it for a minute before he finally huffed a sigh and took Lydia’s hand into his, watching her tenderly as she slept. “Give me a few more days. To at least figure out what I am going to tell her.”

“We can give you that much.” Derek nodded before reaching over and ruffling Jackson’s hair. 

Jackson leaned into the touch, though his eyes grew annoyed at himself before they left. Stiles would have reached over and touched Lydia, but he knew that it might not have gone over well with Jackson. Jackson knew all about his crush on Lydia, and ever since he’d found out that the Alpha wasn’t interested in her anymore, the Jackal had let up on his bullying in that area at least. But, Stiles still didn’t want to chance it. Hell Stiles knew that if Derek was ever in the same position, Stiles would be a fucking asshole to anyone who came around to try and touch him.

“I know that I told Jackson that it was imperative to have Lydia join us in there, but that’s only half the truth.” Stiles commented as they got back into the Camaro. Stiles buckled up and shot Derek a small smile. “Lydia would kill us all otherwise if she found out by herself what’s going on. She can be on the cold blooded side of things at time, and can be downright terrifying, but that’s one of the things I love about her.”

Derek nodded, knowing not to get jealous over Stiles mentioning the word ‘love’ about Lydia. It was the same kind of love that Stiles felt for everyone, not just one person. It was a safe, admiring love. Love for pack and friends. The love that Stiles and Derek felt for one another was way different, and on a different level. So, the Alpha had no cause to be jealous. 

\-----------------------------------------

The next day had Stiles and Scott having a rare one on one bro-day, no pack or significant others allowed. Both lazed around in Scott’s room munching on junk food and playing Halo and WarCraft. It was pretty nice to relax and do something teenagery for a change. Stiles whooped when he shot Scott in the face, ending the game. Scott rolled his eyes and tackled his buddy for a tussle. They were both alone for the next couple of hours, since Melissa McCall was working an early shift, and the rest of the pack were taking their own day to do errands and having family time.

It was nice, but Stiles had a feeling that this sort of peace wouldn’t last long. Beacon Hills had definitely powerful magic within it’s roots and forests. There was bound to be some more supernatural happenings soon. Derek and the rest of the pack felt it too. Every once in a while Stiles and Scott would tense and sniff the air, catching the scent of the other Alpha patrolling the area. He was staying far enough away to give both boys space, but he was staying close enough to give them a sense of protection, just in case something did happen.

Eventually Derek had to go do some errands of his own, and both Isaac and Erica would take up in his stead. It went on like that for a few hours. Finally Stiles yawned and stretched, saying that he had to get back home because he’d promised his dad that he’d have another training session with him later on that night. Plus, he wanted to have time enough to cook the pack the yummy scrumptious cakes he’d mentioned to Derek about. 

Scott pouted a bit, but then shrugged and hugged and scented his bro good by before heading out to meet the pack for patrolling. It was really sweet that Scott was actually dividing his time between his best bud and the rest of the world. Stiles really felt that Scott was doing a whole lot better in the friend department lately as well as the Werewolf department. 

Granted, Stiles would still catch Scott staring at Allison with a sad expression in his puppy dog eyes, but then Isaac or one of the others in the pack would cheer him up, and everything would be ok again. Allison kept her distance, but she did help the pack with training, especially the humans. And for that, Stiles was glad to have her around.

Stiles drove his jeep back to the apartment and noted that Derek was still out patrolling, and set about fixing the various cakes. He put each cake batter into small tins so that each of the pack could have a yummy snack to take home with them after school the next day. After everything went into the oven, Stiles changed his clothes from the elvish everyday traveling clothes to his elvish workout clothes. The clothes fit him like a second skin, which is why he hardly ever went outside of the apartment with them on. He’d be way too obscene in them. Though these clothes were thermal and were good for exercise and training, they were not practical for public use. 

Plus, Derek would kill him if he caught him running around outside with clothes like that on if it wasn’t an emergency. 

Stiles smirked slightly at the thought of having a moody, jealous Derek trying to protect him from the world of predators. He tugged his hair out of its customary braids and pulled it up into a high ponytail, figuring he was set to train. He scowled at himself in the mirror, but then he stuck out his tongue playfully and went to start warming up in the large main room.

As he came into the big room, he put down his normal exercise training mat, and turned on some good workout music. Stiles had brought the old CD player and set it up on one of the TV stand areas a week or so ago so he could listen to something while doing his ‘thing’. Derek didn’t seem to mind, and the neighbors weren’t complaining their asses off about the noise, so Stiles figured it was a win-win situation.

Currently he had the CD mixed on Dark Elf (haha) and Delerium. As he went through the motions of stretches and movements to get his body loose and ready for training, he noted that Derek just got in, followed by his dad, who was dragging a resigned looking Peter behind him in the process. Stiles nearly stopped what he was doing to growl at the asshole, but then caught his dad’s irritable look and decided not to. Apparently his dad hadn’t gotten any sleep in the last few days since Stiles had seen him.

That wasn’t a good sign. Then again, Peter didn’t look as spritely either, so maybe it wasn’t such a bad sign? Stiles huffed a sigh and concentrated on his warming up. Derek headed to the kitchen and got everyone some drinks and a few veggies to munch on because the Alpha provided for his pack, no matter who it was, and he was very conscious of giving out healthy snacks versus crap. Stiles was starting to feel the effects of consuming junk food that morning instead of healthy stuff, but he muscled his way through it and continued doing what he was supposed to be doing.

After John munched on a few carrots with resigned disgust – he was a Blood Elf for god’s sake, not a vegan, the older man got up and decided it was time to rock and roll and hopefully blow off some much needed steam. As he got up, Derek took his place, sitting next to Peter, and making the older wolf roll his eyes at the babysitting, but decided that it wasn’t the best time to complain. Derek basically ignored his uncle, though it didn’t mean he wasn’t watching the older wolf like a hawk.

Stiles stopped his routine and murmured softly to his dad, “Why are you always the one to be his guard?”

“Who else is going to be?” John muttered, but then he added, “Chris and I take turns guarding him. Deaton has fully taken over responsibility of Alec, so at least we don’t have to worry about him.”  
Stiles nodded, though he didn’t like having Peter so close to his dad more often than not. Then again, it seemed like it was the only way to keep the former Alpha tamed. For now. Only time would tell whether or not both Alec and Peter could ever be trusted, but that was a damned long way off in the future.

“Still don’t like you not sleeping much.” Stiles sighed, but then he admitted, “But then I guess it makes sense why you don’t. If I slept in the same house as Peter, I’d kill myself before sleeping around him.”

John rolled his eyes, but nodded tiredly. He stretched a bit and got himself loose enough for the training session. They began, pacing eachother and fighting stances. As they engaged, both Stiles and John felt a thrill go into their blood, and it was addictive. As they trained, exchanging hits, battle techniques and stances, both elves fell into trances.

They were only broken out of it by a soft pointed cough coming from Derek on the other side of the room. They’d trained for two hours straight with no break, and both elves suddenly felt their fatigue and went to grab drinks and take breaks. Stiles, being part Cyger Alpha had more energy though, so he recovered quickly and Derek took John’s place in training. They worked for another hour or so before Stiles remembered about the cakes. However, John had been prepared for it and had the cakes out already cooling on racks. 

By the time both Peter and John left, Stiles was laying on the couch face down and totally zonked out. Derek gave his mate a fond look before he helped pick his mate up and took him to bed, taking his clothes off and cuddling with him. Stiles mumbled tiredly in his sleep, but then settled into the apex of Derek’s arms, using the bigger wolf as a pillow.


	25. Chapter 25: A Creature in the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the late posting! It's been a very long weekend -_- for those of you who read Sink My Teeth Into You, I apologize but I have to wait until tomorrow to post it. Hopefully I can get it finished by Moonday's Teen Wolf ep ;) Anyways, there is a bit of a surprise at the end and a cliffie. This chap was done in a rush, so it's short and I apologize for that. The next one will be much longer =) It will be posted a week from today, Sunday, March 16. Thanks again for your kudos and comments, please keep them coming, they inspire me so much =)

**Chapter 25: A Creature in the Night**

Stiles yawned and snuggled into his mat’ij’s side. He felt Erica move slightly near his waist and he snorted out a soft laugh as Scott started snoring louder at his side. They were in the midst of a huge puppy/kitty pile – sans Peter, John, and Chaser. Alec was drooling, cuddled up between Jackson and Stiles’ leg. Jackson was snoring softly, face planted on the old mattress between Derek’s ankles. Boyd was curled up on the other side of Erica, even though both he and Danny had decided to stay human for now. Danny was curled up on the other side of Jackson, though he made sure to touch one of the Alpha’s on the leg.

John arched a brow and sipped a cup of coffee as he watched the ‘kids’ snore their post full moon morning away. He was slowly getting used to seeing his son cuddled with the pack like this. Even Derek looked like he belonged amongst them. It was a nice thing to see, seeing the usually stressed out stoic wolf calm and content in sleep. 

Yesterday had been one hell of a difficult day for the Alpha. The old Hale house was torn down, and Derek along with the rest of the pack had been there to watch it fall. Derek had been somber, and perhaps a bit upset – as to be expected, but then after the last wall had fallen, the wolf had let the load of memories off of his shoulders and had turned to the pack for a full moon run. John supposed that Derek was finally letting the past go. 

During the quiet time of this relative small period of peace – John wasn’t an idiot and figured that it was only the calm before another storm on the horizon, Derek had taken a short day trip to New York to pack up the rest of his and Laura’s stuff and to finish taking care of loose ends. Stiles had wanted to go with him, but then he’d have to miss school. Perhaps Derek had planned it that way, so that the wolf could have some much needed alone time to process his grief. 

After he’d come back, he’d been in sort of a daze, though whenever he saw Stiles in the room, he’d focus and be as normal as an emotionally shattered Alpha could be. Stiles and the rest of the pack weren’t stupid by any imagination, and their moody Alpha’s somber eyes gave his emotions away, even if he was the king of poker faces. Stiles didn’t pry, and neither did the rest of the pack, all of them understanding on certain levels what it felt to have grief in their lives. Out of all of them, perhaps Danny was the only one who hadn’t experienced a death or abandonment by a parent or sibling, but he knew what grief was. One of his buddies a few years back accidentally drowned while at a friend’s birthday party. It had shaken him to the core, and he couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to lose someone even closer than that.

Stiles held his mate to him at night, not asking for anything, just being there to give Derek what he needed, and the wolf was grateful to that. Now, though it looks as though the final page of Derek’s past had been turned, and his new life had finally just begun. The demolish of the old Hale house had brought a sense of closure to Derek, even if seeing his uncle around alive and breathing was still hard to bear. Derek probably would have traded Peter’s life for Laura’s in a heartbeat, but he was handling things as best he could for now.

As for the thought of Peter, John’s mood instantly soured. After nearly killing himself by lack of sleep and epic stress levels, it was decided that Chris would take over the Beta’s care for one week, and then John would do a week and so on and so forth. It was the best scenario they could come up with. It helped both parties get some much needed rest and alone time in between shifts.

This just so happened to be the first week that John wasn’t dealing with Peter. It was a nice change, for he could now get some actual sleep, but he still felt this edginess whenever he thought about him. It didn’t help that he was still no closer to figuring out a decision on possibly becoming Peter’s dominant. And, as he continued to fondly view the slumbering pack, John huffed a sigh and figured that now was not the time to think about that sort of thing. 

The pack was in relative peace for now. He would rue the day if he ever was the cause to break that tranquility, no matter what his sexual needs were. John turned and headed into the kitchen to rustle up some grub for the pack. He didn’t mind doing this for the pack on the mornings after the full moon. Most of the pack would probably laze in pack sniffing high mode for the whole day and then would return to school the next day. 

As he rummaged around the cabinets and busied himself with cooking breakfast, John was pretty much off in his own little world. However, he blinked as his phone buzzed. He picked it up and answered it softly, knowing that regardless, the pack would start to wake up at the noises he had been making in the kitchen. Still, mindful of Derek’s neighbors, John kept it quiet. 

Chaser sighed hesitantly and then said, “Oregon pack just called. Apparently there has been a sighting of a Kanima on the loose near the southern border.”

John’s eyes narrowed as he whipped up an omelet, knowing how much Stiles loved those things. “When was it last saw, and where exactly near the border?”

Chaser explained, “Just a few days ago. They haven’t seen it since. They thought we’d might like to know since it was headed this way, coming down through the main Oregon Redwoods.”

“Hmmm.” John processed the information, absently handing his tired, hair rumpled son his omelet before fixing up another one. Stiles munched happily on the mouth-watering goodness, even though he and everyone else was listening intently to the conversation.

Mindful of the humans in the area starting to get up and shuffle into showers or the kitchen, John put it on speaker phone. The Cygers and other Weres could hear the conversation just fine, but Danny and Boyd couldn’t, being human. 

“Last time a Kanima was sighted around here was about fifty years ago. Maybe Chris might know more about them and their patterns. Any deaths so far in Oregon?” John questioned, causing the whole pack to cringe at the thought of another evil creature lurking around.

Chaser stated, “No, but there have been cases of temporary paralysis and numbness. It hasn’t killed anyone just yet, so we are wondering why it’s so driven heading your way.”

“Could be the kinetic fields around Beacon Hills. They are known to fluctuate whenever a powerful creature comes to town.” John admitted.

“We thought of that. Either that or possibly that it is still looking for a master.” Chaser said.

“Hmmm, well until we actually see it, there’s nothing much we can do besides be prepared for it when it comes.” John muttered before adding, “Let me know if there’s any other reports from the other side.”

“Will do.” Chaser agreed before getting off the phone.

John calmly fed the rest of the pack and himself before he sat down and explained the situation while eating. “Kanimas are creatures that are pretty rare, but sometimes they do come by and give peeps quite the scare.”

“What exactly are they?” Danny asked, though everyone was thinking the same thing.

John leveled his gaze with Derek and the Alpha sighed, running a hand through his hair. He explained, “They are mainly stuff of fairytales that were told to us as kids to scare us at bedtimes. But, from what I remember reading about them in my family’s old bestiary, is that they are human by day, but lizard like by night. They usually are in search of a master, and are creatures of justice. The only thing that seems to scare them is their own reflection.”

“Well if they are creatures of justice, then what’s the big problem with having one come for a visit?” Stiles asked softly.

“It depends on the rules. If a Kanima gets the wrong master, then they can kill everything in their path, though not without consequence. If the master is evil and uses the Kanima to do bad things then the curse rebounds onto themselves. They become a Kanima as well. The master becomes the servant.” John explained softly.

Everyone warily looked for one another and Jackson finally mentioned, “Are they born this way?”

“No. Usually not. They are usually willing or unwilling humans bitten by Werewolves.” John sighed deeply, regarding both Alphas of the pack carefully. Both Stiles and Derek were giving each other unspoken words in their eye speech. 

John felt a sentimental tug inside of him, knowing how that felt like. Claudia had been able to understand what he was feeling even before he said what he’d wanted to say. Seems like Derek and Stiles were that way as well. 

“Peter couldn’t have done that. He wasn’t gone from the hospital long enough to head all the way up into Oregon.” Stiles suggested.

Derek nodded and visibly relaxed. “What do you suggest we do to prepare for its arrival?”

Stiles thought for a moment and said, “The pack needs some trap training anyways, so let’s set up a trap for it just in case it already has a master.”

John nodded, “I will take Danny, Alec, and Boyd with me to go to Chris’ to get some info on their own bestiary. The Argents are known for their huge selection of info in their bestiaries.”

Derek’s eyes narrowed at the thought of some of the pack going to an Argent for help, but so far the Argents hadn’t messed with them and had helped them out more often than not. Maybe it was time to put old prejudices aside. Stiles walked over to his mate and hugged him gently as the pack started discussing battle strategies, Scott in the center of it all. 

Scott was pretty good at fighting, and as he became more confident as a Werewolf, he became more confident in his battle strategy. After Stiles cuddled Derek a bit more, he gently pecked the moody wolf on the lips before heading over to join the pack in planning and plotting. Derek sighed softly and after a moment of watching his mate work his magic on the pack, he joined them.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, after a long evening of talking with Chris, and ignoring Peter’s presence the whole time, John headed home for a good night’s sleep. However, when he got home, his door was unlocked and there was a black blood trail into his basement. He crouched down and sniffed at the blood, noting that it wasn’t human or Were, nor Elf in color or texture. He wisely texted the pack before he headed into to check things out. He sniffed the air, catching that whatever it was that had come here, was fearful and panicked, not any way threatening. Still, he learned a long time ago to keep his instincts and caution at a foremost in his brain in any situation, no matter how harmless it seemed.

He waited until Scott got there and both of them headed down into the basement while Isaac and Erica stayed on the first floor. The rest of the pack spread out and Stiles found himself holding his breath as he headed into his former old room and his dad’s. Derek wasn’t far behind him, and was there to take his hand for comfort as Stiles took in the sight of an old photo of his mother.

Stiles sighed deeply and laid his head on his mate’s chest, just taking in the feeling of safety and security before he heard his dad talking softly to someone. Ears perking in interest, the pack listened as John talked.

John looked at the shivering mass near the back end of the basement. There were some cuts and bruises, but otherwise the girl looked ok. “It’s going to be ok. We are going to help you.”

The girl blinked a few times, and John sniffed the air, catching that the girl was definitely different. Suddenly Derek caught the scent of the girl, and his eyes widened as he came down the stairs. “That smells like….” And then he was running. He bowled down the stairs, leaving a stunned mate and pack in his wake. He shoved both the Sheriff and Scott aside and then he was there in front of her.

“Cora.” He whimpered softly, his eyes stricken and red rimmed.

The naked girl looked up and blinked in confusion. “Derek?”


	26. Chapter 26: Cora and Peter's Seduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG... I am shipping Peter/Sheriff so bad right now, it isn't even funny. Anyways, nice chapter for you guys, and it's longer than the last one. A bit more John/Peter action, so enjoy. Hopefully the next chap will be a whole lot longer =). Next chap will be up a week from today, on Sunday, March 23. Thanks again for your kudos and comments. They help keep me going, so please continue.

**Chapter 26: Cora and Peter’s Seduction**

“Here, it’s tea but it’s better than nothing.” Stiles said gently as he handed Cora a steaming mug.

The girl took it into her trembling hands and nodded a thanks to him, even though her eyes were warily looking him over suspiciously. After being found, and reunited with Derek, Cora had been able to wash up and change into some clothes of Erica’s, since the Cyger Beta really didn’t mind helping her out. Derek had followed her around, talking to her softly and trying to prod gently for information. Like where had she been hiding out all these years, etc. There were so many why’s and how’s and Derek was trying really hard not to press Cora too much.

But, Cora hadn’t said much of anything, other than that she had been hiding out in a Canada pack for the past six years, and had heard about the Beacon Hills activity in the last few months. During the last six years she had figured she was alone, that her whole pack was dead. It wasn’t until rumors came up that Laura had been killed in Beacon Hills that she had gotten hope that someone else might still be alive.

But, she decided to wait for a little while longer to see if there were any more rumors about the rest of the Hales. Apparently word travels fast when it comes to Alphas switching powers. Cora had decided to come back home to see if Derek was really there. But, after traveling through Oregon and skirting the edges of other Werewolf territory, she had been attacked by hunters. 

She had been chased all the way into Beacon Hills and had managed to find a safe house nearby, which just so happened to be the Stilinski home, since it was heavily warded with Elf magic. The hunters had been spooked by the arrival of the Hale pack and had left. Derek was gently holding one of Cora’s hands while Scott and some of the others from the pack were scouring the surrounding area of the Stilinski house.

The Sheriff sighed and ran a hand through his long brown tresses, wondering if he was going to have to make a sudden unexpected visit to the Argent household to converse about what was going on. Seems they didn’t have to. His phone buzzed. 

Blinking a bit, He picked up his phone and answered it. It was Chris.

_“Looks like my father has been spotted in town. I won’t be able to keep an eye on Peter like we’d hoped in our agreement. It’d be best to have him get picked up as soon as possible. If Gerard is nearby, chances are he’s going to want to stay at my place.”_

John cursed a blue streak, causing Stiles to raise his eyebrows in alarm. Chaser arched a brow, “What is it?”

John shook his head and said softly, “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He hung up, not even waiting for a reply and regarded his son, Derek, and Cora, “you guys stay here. I am going to collect our wayward former rogue Alpha and take him to the safehouse for now. Looks like the Argents are expecting unsavory company.”

Derek and Stiles nodded, hearing the warning from Chris on the phone. John was mainly saying explanations for Chaser’s benefit. 

As the Sheriff and Chaser left, Cora whispered, “It’s all my fault. I led them here.”

“Did you know who it was that went after you?” Stiles asked, keeping his tone light.

“No.” Cora shook her head. “Just that they were hunters. I could smell the Wolfsbane on them. And one of them was dead set in ending my life.”

Derek nodded, “Then it’s not your fault. If you knowingly led Gerard to Beacon Hills, then I might agree with you. But, you didn’t.”

Stiles caught his mate’s gaze above Cora’s head and he sighed softly, “Regardless, they are here now. We’ve been preparing for a storm. Looks like it’s going to break the shore any minute now.”  
“Since when did you get so poetic, Stiles?” Asked a familiar voice coming from the front door. 

Stiles was about to answer but then he saw who Jackson was leading into the house. Danny was right next to him, but beside him was a very confused and pissed off redhead.

Lydia.

Stiles let out a deep sigh and muttered, “Well there goes the neighborhood. Fuck my _life_.”

Derek rolled his eyes and flicked his mate on the nose, saying calmly, “I had Scott call Jackson and Danny as soon as we got Cora out of the basement. Apparently they decided to come check things out. And that’s a good thing, now that we have learned who followed her here. If Gerard is back in town then we need to have our pack on a united front, including Lydia.”

Stiles nodded, “Fine by me.” He cracked his knuckles and was about to say something badass like ‘let’s bust the hunters out of Beacon Hills or go Batman on their asses’ but then Lydia said in a chillingly snippy voice, “Will someone tell me what the HELL is going on?!”

All bravado fizzled inside Stiles and he rubbed his face and nodded, “Do you want me to talk or do you want Derek to do the honors?”

Jackson narrowed his eyes, “Stiles, you are an Alpha just like Derek is. You can do the talking better than he could anyways.”

Derek smiled slightly and shrugged at the insult, knowing that Karma was a bitch and there was always a good chance that the Jackal would get his up and comings eventually. Also, he totally agreed with his comment. Derek had never been good with explaining things.

“Why didn’t you just tell her on the way over here?” Stiles asked, narrowing his eyes and flickering them red.

Jackson rolled his eyes and reached over and smacked his Alpha upside the head. “Because I didn’t want to leave anything out, _dumbass_. So get your head out of your ass and explain things to her, _ALPHA_.”

Stiles was about to say something snide, but then caught the ‘look’ from Lydia and visibly wanted to cover his man parts and squeal like a little girl. Instead he sighed and nodded, figuring that Cora should hear the story as well. So he reached over and squeezed his mate’s hand, ignoring the daggars the Kanima was giving him, and he began.

By the time he had finished the story, with Derek’s help in some parts, both Cora and Lydia had abandoned their ire. Cora because she understood that Derek had finally found a mate and was happy for the most part. Lydia because she finally understood what had happened to her. Now she was just apprehensive, trying to think of why she hadn’t turned, and what was going to happen now.

Cora offered a small smile to her brother and his mate and said softly, “I’m glad you found eachother.” Then her eyes narrowed at Stiles. “If you hurt him, I will kill you.”

“Duly noted, even though I’d pretty much kill myself if I hurt him, so it’s moot point.” Stiles replied with a half smile.

Cora nodded and then admitted to Derek, “I got offered the bite when I joined the Canada pack. It was one of the conditions of joining them, since they are too suspicious of humans. I accepted.”

Derek nodded and reached up to rub her back comfortingly. Cora leaned into the touch and said softly, “I am not sure what went wrong, but I turned into a Kanima. At first I had no idea what I was doing and had no memory of what I was doing. But, then a really wise Werewolf taught me control, and taught me how to find my reason for living. Now I only shift when I have to, and I can control myself for the most part.”

“There was something in the Hale Bestiary that talked about a Kanima wanting to find a master… do you have one?” Stiles pressed as nicely as he could.

Cora’s glower showed him that he was really off the mark. Still she answered, saying, “No, I don’t have a master. I don’t really need one. I just wanted to find Derek once I heard the rumors. Nothing else mattered to me.”

Derek smiled and said softly, “Well you found me. Now we can be a family again. With the rest of the pack, if that’s what you want.” 

Cora grinned, squeezing her brother’s hand in acceptance, “I’d like that.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John drove Peter back to the safe house, but on the way he really, really wanted to either punch the wolf’s face in five hundred times or kiss him senseless because of reasons. God, he so didn’t need his lust getting in the way of this whole crisis situation, and it was not helping that Peter was eerily smirking all the fucking time. 

Feeling his age, John sighed deeply and skirted the Preserve with the precision of someone that often drove these roads for years. Finally finding the beaten path he wanted, John pulled onto it with his cruiser, ignoring the off roading crunching noises as his car hit some rocks and underbrush. 

Peter watched carefully and finally opted to fill the silence with an amused attempt at conversation, “I noticed Chaser didn’t come with us this time around.”

John grunted and knew that the wolf wouldn’t keep quiet until he felt satisfied at rattling his cage, so the Elf admitted, “I sent him back to the station. If I have to babysit a psycho Werewolf for a few days, it’d be a good idea to have Chaser in charge until I return.”

“I don’t need babysitting.” Peter muttered, but then when John snorted out a laugh, the Werewolf practically sulked. He hated being under surveillance all the time. Granted, he didn’t mind baiting John, so he was actually pretty content to be under his watch. However, he absolutely HATED being watched by Chris. That man had made his life a living hell the past few days.

Snorting suddenly in mirth, Peter figured that he probably deserved being punished for all of his transgressions to the Argents, but it wasn’t like they didn’t have innocent blood on their hands either. And the littlest Argent was being kept a close eye on, so it wasn’t like Peter had a chance of manipulating her at all.

“I noticed you didn’t object to being called a psycho Werewolf.” John pointed out, giving the other man a sidelong amused look.

Peter shrugged, “It’s not something I am proud of, but it’s as astute a description if there is one.”

John grunted and for a while nothing more was said. However, John could feel the heat of Peter’s interested intense gaze on his form. He tried to ignore it and concentrated on driving. He was only fooling himself, for Peter could no doubt smell his interest in return. Severely weakened by the transference of Alpha-ship to Stiles, Peter was still very much a Werewolf and could pick up on the smallest scent, even if it was largely hidden by tons of Elven magic.

When John and Chaser went to pick up Peter from the Argent house, they had given Chris the knowledge of Cora, but only under a blood oath that he wouldn’t reveal her presence to his father. Despite the ironic dissention between the father and the son, John and the rest of the pack didn’t want to take any chances. When Peter had found out about Gerard being in town, the Beta had calmly narrowed his eyes at the information, but had done nothing else. 

But, John and everyone else were no fools. They knew that Peter was up to something. Even his plans had backup plans. So, when the two finally parked the cruiser at the safehouse, John wasn’t at all surprised when Peter whispered, “Nice place. Out of the way, far enough away for romantic trysts if that is your thing.”

John clenched the steering wheel, ignoring the tantalizing smell of Peter’s arousal wafting into his senses. He was stronger than this. He needed to keep a close eye on Peter, and that meant not giving in to his desires, no matter how much it cost him to keep from pounding the Beta into the ground. John calmly took a deep breath and got out of the squad car, closed the door and breathed some more. Finally, when his control was better, John headed around to the passenger side of the cruiser. He opened the door and uncuffed Peter’s wrist from a side compartment and clipped it onto his own wrist. Peter rolled his eyes and muttered, “Is this really necessary?”

“With you? Everything is _necessary_.” John said with a small wry smile, before he tugged the beta out of the car and slammed the door. 

Once inside the house, John uncuffed himself and Peter, so he could check the protective wards around the place. It seemed like the Elvish wards and Emissary wards were holding up pretty well. They should be well protected here, even if the place housed the rest of the pack come tomorrow night.

He flinched when he felt Peter brush past him, touching his long tresses seductively in the process. Fury and lust flooded John’s body like a tidal wave inferno, and it was incredibly difficult not to lose control and take Peter up against a wall, dominating him to the fullest. 

“Soft and silky, just like I imagined.” Peter purred softly, carefully keeping his distance, but close enough to breathe his hot breaths onto the Elf’s hair.

John felt his fangs lengthen and his eyes flickered an eerie green. He didn’t know whether to give into his rage or his lust. On one hand, he really, really wanted to rip Peter to shreds until the Wolf couldn’t speak ever again. But on the other, John really wanted to teach this Beta a lesson in who was boss.

Tension rose in the main living room that they stood in and finally John sighed and walked away. He was taking a rule from Stiles’ book. He was going to ignore this problem until it went away. There wasn’t a high successful rate in this, but there wasn’t much else John could do at this point. John went into the kitchen to fix a glass of whiskey, figuring this sort of thing was needed in situations like this. He’d only have a few sips, not wanting to lose any of his sharpness around Peter during a crisis, or any situation regardless of what it entailed.

Peter playfully smirked and then tugged on his shirt a bit. “It’s a bit hot in here, don’t you think?” His face and expression turned vulnerable and pouty as he caught the Sheriff’s eye. 

John snorted a bit and shrugged, motioning to the bathroom near the main room. “Take a cold shower and fucking drown for all I care. It would save me on the grocery bill.”

Peter arched a brow and tried another tactic, “Only if you come with me.” He whispered, and then blinked. Hell, he hadn’t meant to say that. 

John set down his glass carefully onto the counter and turned to face Peter, eyes narrowed and glittering darkly. “What?”

Peter felt a flush come up onto his cheeks and shrugged, knowing he’d inserted his foot into his mouth. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, it rammed all the way down his throat. “Nothing, nothing. Be right back.”

He headed to the bathroom, shivering and sweating under the hot gaze of the Elf’s. He knew that overstepping his bounds might have been a bit of a mistake. He just hoped that his plan was salvageable. If he pushed the good Sheriff too far, then he might be fileted alive. And Peter really didn’t want to experience that.

Being burned alive was one thing, having your skin ripped off of you was another.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------


	27. Chapter 27: One Hell of a Kiss and Packing Up Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG... ok, before you guys read, just wanted to warn you... uber hot Joter (John/Peter) scene coming up. If that makes anyone uncomfortable, then just skip down to the bottom of the chap. Anyways, also, on a Disclaimer note: This is the breathing kiss I mentioned in the first chapter's notes (I think). I snabbed it from a few Dara Joy's books, and manipulated it, so it's not the same, just similar. Just wanted to mention that.
> 
> Anyways, are we ready for the season finale tomorrow? Everyone say NO, because I sure as hell am NOT. 
> 
> Just had to get that out there. ;) Thanks again for all of your comments and kudos, they help keep me going, so please keep them up. Next chap will be up on Sunday, March 30.

**Chapter 27: One Hell of a Kiss and Packing Up Again**

John sighed softly and went out onto the back porch of the safehouse. It was nearing midnight and he knew he probably wouldn’t sleep tonight. As his eyes scanned the trees surrounding the house, his thoughts drifted. Never in his right mind had he’d envisioned being attracted to a fucking psycho Werewolf murderer, especially not after his wife died. Claudia had been everything to him, and one of the only reasons why he’d kept sane was having Stiles around. If it weren’t for his son, then he’d probably be dead. 

He’d told his son the truth. Most elves could remarry if their chosen mate passed on or divorced. But, what he hadn’t told Stiles was that when Blood elves married, a piece of their soul attached itself to their mates. So, in the case of divorce, their souls could detach from each other and basically both would be whole again so they could seek out new partners. However, in the case of death, the widow would have no way of retrieving that detached part. It died with their mates as soon as the other drew their last breath. And often, it was hard for Blood elves to move on from that. Sometimes they went insane due to imbalance, other times they took their own lives, not wanting to live without their deceased mate. 

John didn’t want to think of what he might have ended up as. He was just thankful that Stiles had been there for him. At least they had each other. And John knew he wasn’t the best dad in the world when it came to comfort or paternal compassion, but Stiles didn’t hold it against him. It still didn’t make John’s emotional baggage on his shoulders any less of a burden. 

So, even if John could give into his desires and conquer Peter, he had to make sure that Stiles understood why he was going to do so. He didn’t really expect Stiles to give him his whole hearted blessing, because seriously, who in their right mind would? But, he wanted his son to know and to understand. Maybe Stiles wouldn’t like it, but perhaps they could get onto a happy medium on the decision. But not right now.

Right now, the pack had other things to worry about. Cora coming to town was sort of a blessing, if it wasn’t a curse. John felt for Derek, knowing that the boy had been so sure that he’d been alone since Laura’s death. And after the whole fiasco with Peter, Derek must have felt like all of his pack had gone to shit in a hand basket. Granted, Derek had Stiles, and that had helped a great deal. But, now that Cora was back, Derek probably felt that he had more connection in the world. And John just hoped that it would keep Derek a bit more grounded.

Granted, he so did not trust Cora one bit just yet. Her story seemed feasible, yes, but something just didn’t add up quite right. Most packs as private and protective as the one Cora described that took her in take defections quite seriously. Most packs that were more open and didn’t really mind people passing through for a few years were few and far between. Other packs transferred pack members for alliance purposes. 

Something nagged at the back of his mind about how Cora had been able to leave her pack so easily. A cold pit of dread settled into his stomach, but he let the feeling dissipate. It was no use getting worked up over nothing. And until he found out Cora’s full story, one that wasn’t riddled with holes, he would just have to let things slide. 

There was another bigger problem to worry about now.

Gerard Argent, patriarch of the Argent family was back in town. Granted, the hunter Code stated that their females in their clans lead the families. But, in this case, Gerard’s wife had long been deceased, and he took it upon himself to be a head of the families related to him or allied to him, regardless of who was actually in charge. Gerard never had followed the Code, at least not like Chris and his immediate family. John feared that Gerard might have come back due to Kate’s death, not just to follow a wayward Kanima here. 

And if that was the case, then they were up a creek with no oars to get them past it. John rubbed his face and sighed deeply. God, when had his life gotten so complicated and fucked up? It seemed like only yesterday that his son was a normal, awkward human teenager and he was just the Sheriff of Beacon Hills. The sleepy town was known to be pretty quiet, even during the whole Hale house fire fiasco years ago. Before Laura had been found torn in half, the most crimes were small in number and ridiculously mundane. They ranged from having a dog pee on a neighbor’s yard to rescuing the McNelson’s cat from a tree. 

Pulling his thoughts from an abyss of darkness and memory, John acknowledged that he was no longer alone on the porch. He had absently sensed when Peter stepped onto the deck, but he was inclined to ignore him for the moment, if at all possible. The former rogue Alpha sighed softly, but made no comment for a change.

The silence was more unnerving than when the Beta flapped his sarcastic drivel on the masses. Still, John forced himself to relax the only way Blood Elf Royal Guardians could – looking relaxed, but just enough coil in their muscles and stance to look like a panther ready to pounce when necessary. John sniffed the air and noted that the woods seemed calm, and birds and insects were still buzzing as per usual.

If there were any hunters out there tonight trying to gauge their moves, they were being dead quiet and laying low. He caught a whiff of Peter’s freshly bathed scent and it was mouthwatering. Still, John opted to ignore his want and turned to go back inside, figuring ignoring was the best choice right now. Peter watched the slender Elf retreat into the safehouse and felt an appreciative growl rumble in the bottom of his chest. Blue eyes flitted to caress the Elf’s ass and Peter slowly smirked.

The good Sheriff might be iron strong in his resolve not to be seduced, but he wasn’t as ignorant to Peter as he wanted to portray. Peter knew he had to play his cards right. One false move and things could get way out of hand. So, when he followed the Elf back into the house, he largely left him alone. Peter went into the kitchen and looked around, noting that the safehouse was stocked to the max with provisions for a long stay. 

Strangely enough, it had the pack’s scent all over it besides Alec and Stiles. Derek had been here recently, but Stiles had not stepped one foot inside this place. How odd. Finally he broke the silence as he grabbed a bowl of grapes and started rinsing them, “I can smell the whole pack here except for Stiles and Alec.” He started separating the fruits from their stems and even popped one into his mouth. He munched on it thoughtfully and turned to glance at John, who was idly leaning up against a doorway near the kitchen’s entrance, arms folded across his slender chest. 

“I can understand you not wanting Alec here, the kid is a menace. But why Stiles?” Peter questioned, maneuvering to put the discarded stems into the trash. 

John rolled his eyes. “That’s because when the house got ready for safety, against _YOU_ I might add, Stiles went into his heat.”

“Ah. So he didn’t have a chance to help with the preparations.” Peter nodded, ignoring the biting sarcasm in John’s voice. After a few minutes of casually preparing a roast beef sandwich, the Beta sat down on a bar stool, and started casually eating. 

John watched him with narrowed eyes for quite a while until Peter finally added, “I wasn’t going to take Stiles for a mate, if that’s what you are worried about.”

John arched a brow, but otherwise didn’t change his stance. Peter rolled his eyes and admitted, “I wanted him in the pack, yes, but it was never my intention to _mate_ with him. I don’t try to take other people’s mates away from them. I did tease Derek about the suggestion a few times, but I never wanted Stiles in that way, not like Alec wanted him.”

“If you are trying to make your case seem less serious than Alec’s you are barking up the wrong tree.” John stated pointedly, blinking a few times, not impressed.

“No, I know my intentions are way bigger and darker than any of Alec’s. I just figured you’d feel a bit better knowing that I am no _rapist_. Murderer, ok. Psycho, ok too at times. But I never touch a person that is not willing.” Peter pointed out casually, finishing up his dinner, seemingly not bothered by the calculating gleam in John’s gaze. “Plus he’s not my type. I like men more closer to my age. And definitely older than me. I like the experience."

John snorted and turned to leave, snapping out, “Well, I gotta say that the _Argents_ you better stay away from. That is definitely a scenario I definitely didn’t see coming, but you are psycho, so maybe masochistic is on your list too. Do I need to call Chris and warn him of your advances?”

Peter growled lowly at the insult and he suddenly moved. He was so fast that he almost caught John unawares. But, the Sheriff hadn’t been in the Royal guard for nothing. The Elf whipped around and slammed the Beta into the side of the hall’s wall, eyes flaring into green. In a space of a second, the Elf had Peter pinned completely, vulnerable throat exposed and docile.  
“It’s not Chris who I _want_.” Peter whispered softly, letting a bit of his need slip into the back edge of his voice.

John felt his fangs lengthen at the smell of the Beta’s submission and arousal. It fogged his head with intoxication, making his baser needs rise alarmingly. John gritted out, ignoring the husky noise it made on the way out, “And who is it that you want, Peter?”

Peter tried to think of a way to salvage this situation. But, finally his instincts took over and he keened out in a frustrated growl, “I want _you_ , you know that.”

Peter let out a gasp as John buried his face into his neck, taking in his scent of total submission and need. John ran his lips along Peter’s vulnerable throat, feeling pulsing blood go through that succulent skin. His hunger rose to intensity and he whispered hotly, “You know why Blood Elves can make Alpha’s submit into mindless beasts… hellhounds?”

Peter whimpered, feeling his arousal rise to near pain, “No….”

“Because….” John said, finding an exact spot that the wanted and scented it with precision, “We don’t just use blood in _rituals_ , and are dark creatures to boot.” He licked a hungry stripe onto the submissive Beta’s vulnerable throat. “We _dominate_ all whose blood we taste and devour.”

And with that, he sunk his fangs into the wolf, giving in to temptation, regardless at the back of his mind there was a voice screaming at him to stop. Peter let out a wrecked moan and arched his hips, earning him another slam into the wall for his efforts. John languished his prize, feeding on the rich blood Peter gave him, but he was careful not to take too much. He only wanted enough to slack some of the burning hunger in his body.

Peter tried to reach up and tug the Elf closer, so he could get some erotic release, but the Elf held firm to his wrists and kept him pinned easily. Who knew that Blood elves were so strong? Still, if he didn’t get some action soon, he’d die of blue balls for sure. And he so did not want to die that way. He let out a ragged whine, and suddenly a hot wet mouth was on his lips.

The kiss was electric and it nearly fried Peter’s brain with it’s intensity and fire. John’s mouth was one hundred percent domination, and Peter knew that he had lost, big time. John ate at the Beta’s mouth, muffling moans and sighs. John was in complete control and he plundered the wolf’s mouth like he could just eat him from the inside out. Peter tried to take over the kiss, but John wasn’t having any give. 

He fucked Peter’s brains out through his mouth and it was an unquenchable erotic flavor that both couldn’t get enough of. Peter couldn’t help but rut up against John, desperate for friction, and that just caused John to go all the deeper in his penetrative kiss. Teeth nipped and seduced while his mouth and tongue devoured every aspect of the Beta’s broken soul. 

And when Peter felt like he needed to breathe, John wouldn’t let him. He kissed and kissed, and soon the Beta could feel his body shake with desire and near blacking out due to lack of oxygen. John then took away Peter’s remaining breath and held it, not allowing the Beta to gasp in desperately needed air. Peter felt dizzy and nearly passed out but then John let out a gush of breath into the Beta’s mouth. Peter sucked it up greedily, despite vaguely thinking that this was just an intake of CO2 and wouldn’t help any.

But, after a few times of the Blood elf doing this, taking Peter’s breath and letting it back into him, the Beta finally felt something tug within his chest. He went completely limp, feeling his body completely submit to the kissing soul sucking elf. 

John held Peter prone up against the wall, continuing to breath for them both, feeling something settle within him as the Beta completely became his. The Beta was still going to have his own thoughts and feelings, but they were now tied together. It was dangerous, but at this point John could care less. Maybe he was being reckless dominating the rogue former Alpha, but it needed to be done. It would help John control Peter’s insanity, and would force the Beta to comply. Betrayal was doubly not an option for Peter. The ritual had just made him loyal to the pack, but this breathing kiss and intake of first blood cemented it for life.

Peter would not be able to resist John, but it was a two edged sword. John wouldn’t be able to keep from seeing to his new mate’s needs. John had barely kept himself from turning the wolf into a hellhound. After another full minute of breathing for the both of them, John let go of one of Peter’s wrists and reached down to slip his fingers into the wolf’s pants.

He continued to breathe into Peter’s mouth, and taking the breaths back into his chest. Peter, but this time had no energy but to reach up and stroke the Elf’s hair gently. The Beta’s eyes were closed in bliss, and he continued to take whatever John gave him, absently letting out a blissed out groan as the Elf cupped his length firmly.

Despite it have been a long time since John had taken his fist to his own hand, he had a suspicion that Peter would like it just the way he did. Rough. He wasn’t disappointed. Peter let out soft moans and soft snarls of pain mixed with pleasure as John tugged him rapidly and squeezed roughly with quick jerks until the other man let out a cry, cumming into the Elf’s waiting hand. 

Only then was Peter released from the breathing kiss, and he gasped in fresh air, shivering as pulses of pleasure went through him with every pulse from his heart. John nuzzled the newly minted submissive and let out a soft possessive purr growl, “ _Mine._ ”

Peter shivered as John lovingly rubbed his still pulsing slit. “Yours.” He whispered brokenly.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles sighed as he packed some more clothes into his duffel. God, he hated moving from place to place. He loved moving in with Derek, because hell, the guy was his mate, and besides, the apartment was perfect for training, sexing, and everything else an Elf needed. But, now they were going to head over to the safehouse in the morning, regardless of school. His dad had called him in, thank god, so he didn’t have to worry about that. 

But, as nice as it’d be to have the rest of the pack there living with them, Stiles was having issues with not being able to sex his boyfriend up like he wanted to. Granted, Cora was for the most part content to being at the apartment now, so it’s not like he’d had time with Derek for any of that. Just mainly cuddles at night, and a quick jack off in the shower.

Though Stiles wasn’t that ungrateful that Derek had his sister back, he was suffering. He was still considered a teenage boy, and he had needs. Like he so wanted Derek to go down on him, and maybe vise versa. And it looks like they wouldn’t be having any of that for the foreseeable future, thanks to Gerard Fucking Argent and his band of goons.

And the whole fact that both Alec and Peter were going to be staying at the safehouse too… UGH. Stiles threw some more clothes into his duffel a bit more harshly than usual, and he took a deep breath, trying to keep his brain focused on non-selfish things. It didn’t help when his mate came up from behind and gave him a gentle, but worried hug.

Derek’s arms wrapped around Stiles’ middle and he gently mouthed on the other Alpha’s neck soothingly, “What’s wrong?”

Stiles sighed softly and admitted, “I’m fucking horny.”

Derek snorted and nipped at an ear, “Why is that such a problem?”

“Hello, teenage boy.” Stiles explained even as he pouted. “And it looks like we won’t have any sexytimes for the next eon.”

“Such a hardship.” Derek rolled his eyes fondly. But, then he said softly, “Erica and Lydia are taking Cora shopping for clothes in a bit. Something about wanting to make sure each one had enough clothes for the next month or so, depending on how long Gerard stays around.” He then added, voice lower, “We could possibly have enough time for something if you are completely packed by then.”  
Stiles whimpered and as if he needed help deciding on a yes or no, Derek reached down and cupped him through his elvish pants. He squeezed a bit more at the sensitive erection before he swatted his mate’s ass and turned to go root around in his own stuff to help pack, leaving a more motivated mate to finish his own stuff.


	28. Chapter 28: Satisfying Needs and Moving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long to get out guys! It has been an insanely busy week, TGIF is tomorrow! Thanks again for sticking with me and your kudos and comments. They help inspire me to keep going, so please keep them coming. The next chap will be out on schedule on Sunday, April 6. After this update, there will be a two week break, since I am taking some time off and am going to be doing stuff needed around the house during that time. So, you will have your update on April 6. And then there won't be another update until April 19 - which is a Saturday. After that, the posting schedule will go back to normal on every Sunday. =)

**Chapter 28: Satisfying Needs and Moving**

Stiles let out a whimper as Derek tugged his Elvish pants down to pool at the ankles. God, he wanted this so bad. Derek buried his head into Stiles’ crotch, breathing in his want and desire. It was an intoxication that he’d never be able to get used to, and he was very glad about that fact. Stiles smelled like sweat, spicy maleness that made Derek highly aroused just nuzzling it. He mouthed the hybrid’s cock through his boxers and the boy shuddered and whimpered.

Stiles reached down and lightly tugged on his mate’s hair, enjoying the feel of Derek’s hot mouth leaving wet spots all over his boxers. However, they didn’t have much time, and Stiles let out a gasping, “Derek… please….” to spur his mate on.

Needing no more encouragement than that erotic husky voice, Derek got down to business. He would normally like to take his time getting his mate off, but Cora and the girls would be back in half an hour or less, so he needed to make this quick. There may be not much privacy when it came to Werecreatures, but Derek didn’t want to scar his only sane living relative not even forty eight hours from the time she got there.

He tugged Stiles’ boxers down and took up his mate’s red, leaking, swollen length. He licked it a few times to get a taste of it before he lovingly sucked on the tip. Deep throating was out of the question for now, but at least he could pleasure his mate enough to get the edge of horny teenager angst out of his system. Stiles whimpered and let out a deep guttural moan as Derek expertly started jacking him with quick, sharp strokes. The wolf’s mouth stayed on the tip and Stiles knew that he so was not going to last long having Derek tongue at his slit. 

Within a few minutes Stiles was crying out his release, his legs nearly giving out. He sagged up against a wall and panted as Derek sucked him dry of his essence. Shakily running his long fingers through Derek’s inky black tresses, Stiles felt his heart clench at the thought that this beautiful creature was his. It never ceased to amaze him that Derek was his mate, and that they were linked in ways that he’d never dreamed of possible. God, now he was thinking like a sentimental teenage girl.

Pushing his thoughts away from the mushy road, Stiles tugged his mate up by the shoulder and gave him a happy thank you kiss. He murmured against those silky lips, “Do we have time for you?”

Derek smiled slightly and whispered back, “Don’t worry about it. I’m good.”

“Yes you are good. Very very good. As in epic proportions.” Stiles stated with a fond snort, but then he sniffed the air and noticed that Derek had gotten off just by sucking his Alpha mate to completion. Damn. That was so hot. His cock twitched with residual pleasure and Stiles moaned out, “You are incredible, you know that right?”

Derek snorted and rolled his eyes but tugged his lover close to him so he could nuzzle his neck. 

After a few more minutes of nuzzling and scenting, Stiles tucked himself back into his clothes and went through a mental checklist of the items they had packed. Derek quickly cleaned himself up and came back to join Stiles in the overall counting off items. Figuring that there wasn’t anything that they were forgetting, Derek and Stiles started loading the Jeep and the Camaro up. They’d only gotten a few loads in when the girls arrived. 

They talked for a bit about directions and things like that, and then Lydia, Erica, and Cora pulled back out of the way so Stiles could drive his Jeep and follow the Camaro with the girls behind him. It wasn’t long before Scott and Isaac arrived, and they both piled into Stiles’ Jeep while Boyd got into the Camaro with Derek. Looks like the pack was ready.

Boyd and Erica couldn’t stay long at the safehouse that night since it was still a school night. However, the next day was a Friday and they would be able to spend the weekend over there to help out. Their families had finally lifted the grounding, so they could pretty much do what they wanted within reason on the weekends. Danny, Jackson, and Alec were already on their way to the safehouse and had no qualms with their folks, so they were going to finish setting up the training area behind the place the next day.

Chaser was still keeping tabs with Chris and the Sheriff, so that the pack would be up to speed about Gerard’s movements. Scott sat down in the passenger seat of Stiles’ Jeep, while Isaac sat in the back, not minding that he wasn’t in shotgun. If the Betas scented that Stiles positively reeked of sex, they didn’t comment. Probably due to the fact that they had bigger things to worry about. 

Isaac hesitantly asked, “Do you think Derek would let me skip school tomorrow as well?”

“Why do you need approval for that? Didn’t my dad get you emancipated yet?” Stiles asked, arching his brow.

“Well… he’s been kind of busy, so I didn’t want to bug him about it.” Isaac admitted.

Stiles rolled his eyes and reached over to ruffle the goth boy’s hair, which wasn’t in a mohawk for a change. Isaac leaned into the touch, and Stiles finally stated, “I’m sure you are ok to stay at the pack house to help at least for tomorrow. I’ll talk to my dad and see what he thinks, ok?”

“Ok.” Isaac nodded, appeased. "Or I could talk to him... if there's time tonight."

Scott yawned tiredly, saying, “Dude, I am so not used to like living on no sleep. I barely got any sleep last night cramming for our English final. That new teacher really is hardball.” 

Stiles snorted, “She’s ok. I liked Mr. Moffit better. But, that’s ok. Miss Blake does seem a bit odd though.”

“Oh, the new English teacher…. She’s the hot one, right?” Isaac asked conversationally once Stiles pulled his Jeep out of the apartment complex parking lot. 

Derek revved his car a bit before he took off and the rest of everyone followed. Stiles snorted, “Yea, she’s hot. Just odd.”

“Like how odd?” Isaac asked.

“Dude, she looks at me funny. As if she can see into my soul and know exactly what I am… I wouldn’t be surprised if she knows about peeps like us.” Stiles admitted.

“That would be friggin’ spectacular.” Scott mumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I can just see it now. ‘Please write your analogy of the Tempest with in regards to your experience as being a Werewolf.’ Dude, that would so suck.”

“No kidding.” Isaac agreed.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Sheriff and Peter was waiting for the majority of the missing pack members when they arrived. Jackson, Alec, and Danny were inside unpacking their own weekend bags and things like that. It was suggested that Alec would be able to sleep in his own room, though it was situated in between Jackson & Danny’s room and the Sheriff’s room. No one asked where Peter was going to stay. The smell of sex was high in the air, and the Sheriff didn’t care to hide it, nor to explain other than to state calmly that Peter was now in _training_.

Stiles had glowered at that, but then he noticed just how docile Peter looked and sighed deeply, figuring he could discuss the former Alpha’s role in the pack with his dad later. He helped carry in a bunch of crap, and from just a simple sniff of the air, he could tell which room Derek had been in the most. He headed to the right wing of the house, noting that Derek liked being upstairs where he could have a vantage view point of the entire property. It was a corner room and had windows on three of the four walls. Stiles liked it.

There was a nice king sized bed in the middle of the room, and a simple nightstand. There was even a small desk nearby of which he was grateful to be able to put his laptop on. There was a nice sized closet, and though it wasn’t walk-in, it was roomy enough for Derek and himself. The bathroom was good sized too. 

It was sort of like a vacation house. Not necessarily a pack house, for Stiles viewed Derek’s apartment to be more accommodating in that aspect. But, it would do for whenever the goings got tough in Beacon Hills. He wasn’t sure how long they would be holed up here, but at least they had a good outdoor training ground that was heavily warded thanks to Deaton and John. 

After Stiles sat down his duffel bags and suit case, he let out a loud sigh and sat down on the bed for a minute to collect his thoughts. He pushed his long hair back behind his shoulders and absently pondered what his dad was doing, messing with Peter. And why the hell was he doing this while Gerard was running ramped? 

It didn’t make sense.

Derek came into the room, noting Stiles’ frustrated and confused look. He wrinkled his nose and placed his bags on the other side of his mate’s. He wondered if this was sort of a Stiles ‘need a moment by myself because reasons’ moment or a ‘omg I am losing my mind and can’t take this fucking shit help me’ moment. Taking a guess that Stiles might need to be left alone, Derek offered his mate a gentle shoulder grip before he headed back out to help the others.

Stiles was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he only grunted when Derek left. However, he finally whooshed out a soft sigh. He had to trust his dad for now. If he thought that ‘training’ Peter entailed some mutual kinkiness, then ok. He didn’t like it, because he could so not see the appeal. Why would anyone want to have sexytimes with a psycho murderer was beyond him. But, that’s why he and his dad were individuals that had different tastes, thank god. 

The Alpha stood and looked out one of the windows at the surrounding trees of the Preserve. He smiled and pulled his thoughts back together as he heard Lydia instruct Jackson on where to put her shit. It had been decided earlier that each human would have a Werecreature partner to stay with. So, Lydia got to be with Cora, since Danny was with Jackson. She wasn’t too heartbroken about that fact, and Cora seemed amiable to have the bossy girl rooming with her for a while. In fact, Cora seemed pretty content over her bonding with Erica and Lydia. One would think since all three girls had major chips on their shoulders that there would be problems, but since this was a crisis time, all of their differences had been put aside for now.

Once Erica and Boyd got to come and stay over the weekend, they had their own room as well on the bottom floor near Scott and Isaac’s room. They already had a schedule in place on when and where peeps were going to be on patrol, who had kitchen duty, and clean up duty. Everyone had a set date for right now.

Stiles headed downstairs, pulling his thoughts away from the whole mess of ‘right now’. 

“So, did you tell her?” Stiles asked Scott as they lugged in a few more things from the Jeep.

“Well, yea, I had to. She wanted proof.” Scott mumbled and sighed. “In fact the only reason why she’s letting Isaac stay over is because she thinks he looks like a total puppy shifted. I didn’t really know when a good time would be to tell her, but I am glad it’s out in the open at least.”

“So, how did Mama McCall take it?” Stiles questioned, snorting a bit at the comment about Isaac. Isaac was sort of a cute puppy looking boy, shifted or no.

“She’s still in kind of a shock mode?” Scott said hesitantly, but then he added with a small smile, “She did say that I looked brave and if I was using my Werewolf powers to help people, she said that it was ok.”

“Well, she’s your mom. She loves you and she’s not an idiot. She probably would have been able to sniff everything out for herself eventually. I’m glad she’s ok with it though.” Stiles smiled. 

Isaac wandered over to John and talked with him. He was shy at first, but after John stated that the papers were ready and filed and that he was good as considered an adult, the boy opened up and beamed. Isaac still would need a place to stay, and Melissa McCall had already agreed to let him stay for as long as he wanted. 

After everything had been carted into the safe-house, everyone sat around, resting. It wasn’t long before pizza was ordered, and Stiles confronted his dad about Peter.

All he asked was, “Are you happy?”

John truly thought about it and nodded slowly, “More along the lines of being content. The main elvish part of me that I had locked away for these past years has been able to come out. Having Peter around as a submissive is a good thing, for the both of us. It might be really weird and total loony, but if it keeps us safe, and keeps my inner self appeased, then it has to happen.”

Stiles blinked and sighed softly. “I don’t like it. But, not necessarily because Peter could totally turn on us and go psycho all over our asses – rituals or no.” He chewed on his lower lip and admitted, “He just scares the shit out of me. And I don’t want you to get hurt. But, I know you know that, and just… be careful. I know I am one to talk, since I am bonded to Derek, who is like six years my senior, but I just had to say it. Ok?”

“Ok.” John said, and after a moment he sipped a beer and arched a brow at his son. “Since when did the father become a kid?”

“Since the kid became an Alpha?” Stiles snorted.

“More like the kid grew up.” Jackson said pointedly, causing everyone to snicker in mirth. Even Peter smiled at that one.

Peter then admitted, “As long as the Sheriff is my master dominant, I will have less insanity outbreaks.”

“That’s comforting to hear, thanks for sharing.” Lydia muttered, but then smiled sweetly when Peter rolled his eyes. “Thank god I was in a trance state when you decided to use me as bait. Otherwise I’d remember what was going on, and then I’d want to kill you more.”

“You along with everyone else in the pack. Take a number.” Peter said with a small smile.

“Oh, Peter… one little tidbit warning for you just because I am feeling generous.” Stiles stated with narrowed eyes. “Never piss off Lydia. She will eat you alive and spit you back out like the vicious dragon she is.”

Lydia blinked and smiled evilly, causing all the males in the room to cringe. “Exactly.”

“And people wonder why I don’t try to defend your honor.” Jackson snorted, causing Lydia to elbow him in the stomach, ignorant of the smiles going around the pack.

It was good to have Lydia in the know. Erica and Boyd stayed long enough to snatch a few pieces of pizza before they headed home. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

That night when Stiles and Derek were cuddling in their big bed, both Alphas reveled in the feel of being so close to their pack. Stiles absently drew circles on Derek’s chest and listened to the heartbeats of every member, including Peter’s and Alec’s. It was a comforting feeling, being in a pack. Derek finally murmured in the quiet of the night, “Thank you…. For confronting your dad about Peter. I wanted to… but I knew it wasn’t my right.”

Stiles nodded slowly, “Yes, but you have a right to do the same with Peter. He is your relative.”

“He stopped being my uncle the moment he murdered Laura.” Derek snarled lowly.

“Well, then you still have the ‘pack’ Alpha right to beat his ass all over the place should he step out of line.” Stiles said firmly, reaching over to grip one of Derek’s hands.

Derek nodded, and after a moment he squeezed Stiles’ hand in thanks.


	29. Chapter 29: Allison and Setting Up the Training Grounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woot! Ok, here is another chapter for you all. Sorry it is getting posted so late! This weekend has been out of control, so I didn't have much time to write. Sorry the chapter is a bit short. As a reminder, I will be taking two weeks off, and will not have the next post up until Sunday April 20, instead of Saturday April 19. Gotta love my folks not knowing how to schedule right! Anyways, thank you for all your kudos and comments, please keep them coming for they help keep me going.

**Chapter 29: Allison & Setting Up the Training Grounds**

Allison Argent stalked her way through the Preserve, ignoring the fact that her grandfather was nearby probably watching her every move. She really despised the fact that she had to be paced by her father’s men, but they did offer some bit of comfort. They were in between herself and Gerard, and that’s where they would probably stay until the man either left or died.

She knew she should feel something for her grandfather, but it was a tough thing to think about, considering he’d turned her aunt Kate into the murderous bitch she’d been. Allison wasn’t one to hold grudges against anyone, especially not until she’d heard that person’s story, but tonight tested her inner conscious deeply. 

Her grandfather had murdered an innocent Werewolf tonight. Granted, he’d might have been an Omega, looking for a possible pack to join. Probably the Hale-Stilinski pack. But before he’d been able to encounter one of the pack, who’d all wisely either holed themselves up in a safehouse farther away, or tried to lay low to avoid contact with Gerard, he’d been captured, tethered up, and cut in half.

She’d only seen it due to the fact that she’d been scouting the area, trying to figure out a way to get word to her dad about new track sightings. Apparently the tracks were from the Omega, or at least that’s what her grandfather had stated. She wasn’t so keen to believe him, regardless of whatever words came out of his corrupt mouth.

Allison took a deep, calming breath of the crisp night air and sighed. It was times like these that she wondered if she’d made the right choice becoming a huntress. But then she would remember how tough her mother was, and how she made sure to make the right choices, the right, compassionate side of her that most never saw. Victoria might be one hell of a bitch on a huntress front, since she needed to be, but on the inside, she ached whenever she saw cruelty to any innocent supernatural creature. Allison had been fortunate to see her mother at those softened moments… moments when the woman hadn’t thought anyone had been looking. It had made Allison understand that her compassionate side hadn’t just come from her father… it had also come from her mother.

And her mother had trained her carefully and secretly. Allison had understood the need for secrecy, though now she was glad that she didn’t have to hold her ‘dual’ life secret from her dad or the Hale-Stilinski pack. She just wished they would be able to trust her. Victoria had told her daughter to be careful, even before news of Gerard’s arrival had come through. She had told Allison that sometimes being a huntress and an ally with the Werecreatures of the world was possible. But there was a slimmer chance to be friends with a member or even to be part of a so called pack. 

Allison was just tired of being by herself all the time. Her friendship with Lydia was blossoming, and now that the girl was finally in the know, Allison felt like she could finally hang loose. It felt nice to confide in someone for once in her life. She no longer felt jilted about Scott not wanting to continue dating with her anymore. She just hoped that regardless of what her mother had told her, that she’d be able to be friends with him too. He was such a sweet guy, and even Jackson wasn’t all that much of a douche, once you got to know him.

She wasn’t so sure about Stiles, or Isaac, or any of the others in the pack. But they seemed nice enough and always treated her with respect. Derek Hale was about the only one who stiffened whenever she was around, but with good reason. Her aunt had seduced Derek and had murdered almost his entire family. Regardless of how long time had passed, that still had to leave a mark on the shattered Alpha.

Finally, Allison shrugged and pulled out her walkie talkie. The cell phone reception in this area of the Preserve sucked, so they had to result to almost archaic means – in her minds eye. At least the devices worked. She pushed a button and told the rest of her team that she was heading home. That the tracks lead to nothing.

Allison finally shrugged off Gerard’s attention once she got in her car. She headed home, but not before pulling out her phone and calling her dad to let him know what happened. Chris sighed deeply, as if he’d dealt with Gerard’s method for destroying Weres before. He then instructed her to go home, considering other people might still be watching her movements, no matter if Gerard was around or not. Chris then let her know that he’d inform the pack about this, and to not worry.

It was kind of hard to not worry when some innocent Werewolf had been murdered in cold blood by her own grandfather tonight. She still took a few calm breaths and headed home, knowing that there wasn’t much she could do but follow her dad’s orders. Maybe she would be able to corner Scott at school to tell him everything she’d seen. 

Chris had told Allison that packs were greatly made up of loyal members, regardless of age, sex, or rank. The more loyal the Beta, the closer they were to the Alpha, and treated as such. It would stand to reason why Scott was still rated as first Beta of the pack, considering he was incredibly loyal. If Allison continued to help the pack, and in so doing showing them that she was loyal and someone to count on, then perhaps she might be able to become friends with all of them… if not a part of the pack.

It’d be nice to have more friends. More people she could count on besides herself.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles burrowed his face more into his pillow, ignoring the fact that it kept moving. He was used to this. His full body pillow moved and breathed and sometimes even talked. Derek let out a soft amused rumble and started poking at Stiles’ cheek. Stiles whined and tried to burrow even further into his chest.

“Stiles.” Derek murmured sleepily.

“Too early.” Stiles complained, but he cracked a huge yawn and blinked blearily up at his mate. “Mmm?

“It’s seven and everyone else is up.” Derek pointed out and then he kissed his mate on the lips before he stretched and started entangling himself from his disgruntled Co-Alpha. Stiles always looked adorable when he first got up. His hair usually was sticking out everywhere, and his eyes were almost always heavy lidded and sexy. But, like Derek had stated, everyone was up, so there was no time for any sexytimes or funtimes with a household full of alert pack.

Stiles pouted but let up, rubbing the sleep crud out of his eyes and yawning hugely again. He stretched until his bones fucking creaked and followed Derek into the bathroom to get ready for the day. Today their plan was to fully set up the training grounds out back. 

It was going to be a long and strenuous day, ending with Stiles adding some of his own magic to the wards outside. He was so glad that today was Friday. At least that meant that he could sleep in the next day, depending on how much stuff they got accomplished today.

Derek busied himself with brushing his teeth, while Stiles took a leak and then hopped in the shower. It was a routine that they’d gotten familiar with in the past month or so, and it seemed to be so domestic. And Derek loved every minute of it. He spat out his toothpaste and rinsed his mouth out before dabbing his chin with shaving cream. 

Stiles was out of the shower by the time he got done with his shave. They switched places, and Stiles brushed his teeth and combed his hair, easily managing to put it back into a low ponytail. He’d gotten proficient in dealing with his long hair over the past score of weeks. Sometimes it still frustrated the hell out of him, but for the most part he didn’t mind it.

It seemed a bit weird now, seeing his glamoured face staring back at him during class when he’d be in the boy’s bathroom. Probably because the face staring back at him wasn’t really him. Not anymore, that is.

While he put on his Elvish clothes, he paused a minute to listen to the various heartbeats and their whereabouts were in the packhouse, or in the vicinity. Jackson and Scott were already outside digging some holes with shovels so they could start putting training poles into the ground. The training grounds was only going to be set up in part of the backyard, since the other side was already part of an old overgrown vegetable patch. It just needed a bit of deworming and weeding, and then they could take stock of what they had growing.

Stiles knew that if any of the pack members complained one time about the situation that they were in, then they would have that duty. He so was going to keep his complaining to mental standpoints for the next few weeks, or for however long they were going to be holed up at the safehouse.

Isaac was in the kitchen with Lydia, fixing breakfast from the smell of things. John and Peter were in the living room probably watching the morning news. Danny and Alec were both going outside to join Jackson and Scott, probably to lend a hand.

Stiles finished dressing and without further ado, headed down to get breakfast, the smell of bacon and eggs making his stomach rumble. Derek soon followed, dressed and ready to go. 

Breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Stiles poured himself a glass of Cran-Grape juice, and piled his plate with enough food to feed a lion. Erica and Boyd just arrived, and were helping themselves to the pack spoils as well. Boyd got entertained by watching Erica eat basically like a starving hyena. One would think that he’d be used to this by now. Weres had healthy appetites that tended to clear out anyone’s foodstocks in less than a day. Thank god John and the others had been prepared for that.

Stiles was just surprised that his dad hadn’t stuffed some livestock in the backyard. 

Derek sat down next to Stiles, plate heaped with a mess of food. To this day, Stiles could totally not understand how Derek ate stuff mixed up like that. His excuse was that it all was going to the same place, so why fucking care if everything’s separated? Still, sometimes Stiles just couldn’t fathom it. Same reason he couldn’t fathom Scott’s obsession with ketchup drenched scrambled eggs.

Stiles ate his food and sighed as he looked towards the living room where his dad and Peter were lounging. They indeed were watching the morning news. Peter was basically sprawled out on the sofa, with John’s lap being used as a pillow. John wasn’t doing anything other than lounging, but Stiles could tell he was relaxed and at ease for a change.

Suddenly John’s phone buzzed and he picked it up, eyes narrowing. He answered the call and talked at length with Chris. 

“Are you sure?” John asked. After a moment he nodded. “Ok. I’ll tell the pack to be extra careful.”

After he hung up, he waited until Stiles called the others into the house before he told everyone what happened last night on the Preserve. Despite the pack having single patrols during the day only, it was deemed necessary from now on to stay out of the Preserve completely. It was a safer bet. And though Derek and Stiles didn’t like being cooped up at the safehouse all the time, they knew it was for the best for now. 

Unfortunately that wasn’t the only bad news, finding out about Gerard severing the Omega in half. Apparently the old coot was deciding that he was no longer operating under the Code and had deemed it a war now between the Argents and the Werewolves who had killed Kate. Peter coughed at that, and no one commented, considering Kate deserved every ounce of what she’d received at the end of the former Alpha’s claws. 

“Is Allison going to be ok in that kind of environment?” Scott asked, and when everyone looked at him with puzzled expressions, he shrugged and offered, “I mean, she’s helping us. I know we don’t trust her and all, but she has always helped us. I am just worried that she might get herself into some deep shit if Gerard finds out about it.” 

“The whole Argent family has that to worry about, not just Allison.” John pointed out, but then he eased up and admitted, “However, that might not be as much of a worry as influence.”

“What do you mean?” Isaac asked.

“It means that Gerard can be one hell of a persuasive hunter. He’s been able to sway people to his ideals before.” Peter piped up. “He’ll try to go for the youngest. If he can get Allison on his side, then her family will either have to follow her or put her down at the worst.”

“Shit.” Derek muttered.

“Which is why Chris is thinking about sending Allison away for winter break to visit a normal human aunt in France.” John stated calmly.

“But that’s still two weeks away, isn’t it?” Scott said.

“We could have her stay at my place for a few days during the week. My mom wouldn’t mind.” Lydia stated softly. “Besides it would sort of be expected considering we have stayed over at each other’s places before now.”

“That’s actually not such a bad idea.” Stiles said, but then he asked, “Will you be ok though? I don’t want anyone to link you to the pack. You don’t need to get hurt again.”

“Mmmm that’s sweet, but I think I’ll be ok. I’ll make sure to call every day to let you know I am ok. And if something happens, I’ll call you as well.” Lydia stated with a small smile.

Derek and Stiles shared a look and finally the older Alpha sighed and nodded, “Ok, but if anything looks suspicious, I want you to call Jackson immediately.”

“Understood, Alpha.” Lydia snorted, but smiled to take away the sting.

Jackson shrugged and yawned, “Ok, who’s up for getting the shit out back fixed so I can take a shower and take a nap?”

“What side of the bed did he wake up on?” Boyd mused.


	30. Chapter 30: Ward Work and Finishing the Were-nator

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one got out so late! These past few weeks have been busy! Still, it was a much needed break, so thank you for sticking with me. This chap is a bit short, but the next one will be longer. For those of you who also read Sink My Teeth Into You, I won't be able to post that one until tomorrow, considering it's pretty late right now and I get to get up at 330 tomorrow morning for work. Loving the overtime, not the lack of sleep ;) Next update on this one will be Sunday, April 27. Thanks for the kudos and comments, they continue to inspire, so please keep them coming.

**Chapter 30: Ward Work and Finishing the Were-nator**

Stiles sighed and licked his lips as he tried to concentrate on the ward in front of him. It was mammoth sized, being one of John and Deaton’s concoctions. If anyone of an evil intent even touched it, it would send them not only flying into the nearest tree, but it also had a nasty hex on it that would cover that being with acid burns. Sometimes Deaton and John scared Stiles. But, then he just shrugged and got over it. Deaton and John were both badass veterans, so it stood to reason that both knew exactly what they were doing with setting up the wards.

Stiles chewed on his lower lip and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the sound of hammering nearby. The pack were hammering 8 poles into the ground, ones that were almost as tall as two stories of a normal building. They were metal and had notches gouged starting from ten foot high all the way to the top. At the top of each pole was rope attached to it. Each rope had large bungee hooks at the ends, and eventually would be pulled across the yard to another pole. They were basically making a rope jungle gym obstacle course for the Weres. Though the humans might not be able to use it, they were coming up with an obstacle course on the ground, one that had gopher holes to dodge, traps to be avoided, and wooden poles with pegs to scale. 

Once Stiles got done with adding power to the wards around the safehouse, he was going to help finish each training assembly. If he had enough stamina, that is. This ward work was a pain in the ass, and usually drained a bunch of his energy afterwards. But, he was just happy that the pack was actually working together pretty amiably to get everything fixed up.

By lunch his stomach was rumbling. After doing two large wards, Stiles was already pooped. He flopped down uselessly next to his dad on an outside lawn chair and moaned at the smell of cooking steaks.

Derek was making a mean horde of them, from the amount of smoke rising from the grills. Some of the pack already had their steaks, taking them medium rare, or rare. The thought of a rare steak caused Stiles to want to hurl in the nearest bucket, but he understood that sometimes Werewolves liked things still mooing when they ate. At least they weren’t killing deer or rabbits, though venison did sound pretty damned good right then and there. Derek put a well done sirloin onto a plate with some protein filled nuts, along with broccoli and handed it to Scott to give to Stiles.

Derek would have gave the plate personally to Stiles, but he was busy with the grills. One thing Stiles learned was not to mess with Derek when he was grilling or cooking. Sometimes he didn’t mind help in the kitchen, but when it came to having a grill, he was all macho and possessive of his manly skills. Stiles didn’t tease Derek much about it, since the guy could cook like nobody’s business, but that didn’t keep him from laughing inwardly about it. Scott poked him with the handle of a steak knife, so that was Stiles’ cue to sit up.

He sat up gracefully and took up the food and silverware, though most of the pack had forgone those to just eating their steaks with bare hands.

Stiles almost felt like doing the same, but then he saw how bloody the Were’s hands were, and he thought better of it. Despite being half Cyger Alpha, blood still really didn’t call to him unless it was Derek’s. Maybe that was because Derek’s blood was his type. Either that or they were mates, and regardless of sounding cliché vampirey, perhaps that meant that they only liked each other’s blood.

Derek spoiled that thought when he finally was able to sit down next to him so he could eat. His steak was medium well, but it still wasn’t dead enough for Stiles’ taste. Derek was definitely a meat and potatoes type of guy, since he loved eating that sort of thing and absolutely hated veggies. But, he did eat veggies because otherwise he got sicker than a dog when he didn’t, pun not intended.

Stiles was luckily finished with his meal by then, and was just idly popping M&Ms into his mouth. He loved it when nutty trail mixes had chocolate in them. Derek snorted at him, but otherwise ate in silence.

Most of the others were lazing about in the quiet and peacefulness of the area, enjoying the brief patches of sun coming down through the surrounding trees. It was a nice feeling, having the pack together for the most part. And even Alec and Peter were behaving themselves, which was even better.

Peter sat next to John, though he made sure not to even think about starting to eat his own food until John had devoured his. Seeing Peter be submissive was strange, but then again, seeing his dad actually eating his vegetables with no grimaces on his face was even stranger. So, Stiles went with the flow, and visibly relaxed.

Perhaps things were looking up.

\--------------------------------------------------

After lunch was cleared, the pack started stringing the ropes to each pole top, making a weird looking net that spanned the entire obstacle course. They wrapped the excess rope ends around the poles, twirling them around in a spiral descent, slotting a thick wooden peg into each notch to ease climbing, yet making it difficult enough for the Weres to be considered challenging. The first Were to try and scale a pole to make sure it was sound was Erica, who still had a bit of a grudge against the gym rock climbing setup at school. 

She made it to the top with no trouble, and even offered to try hanging from the ropes. Derek shook his head no, since they still needed to do some more extensive netting below, just in case a human wanted to try the obstacle course. Erica had pouted, but had come down off of the pole easily, deciding jumping down was the best way.

Stiles continued to work on the wards while John and Peter started training Danny, Boyd, and Lydia how to defend themselves against any opponent, Were or non-supernatural. Both Danny and Boyd were able to protect themselves, being students of Allison, but it was good practice for them to learn how a former Alpha thought, and how quick an Elf could think on his feet. Even though Lydia had been bitten, she still wasn’t showing signs of being a Werewolf, so the pack was still going to treat her as a human, regardless. She wasn’t keen on being paired up with Peter, but after she got to land a punch on his face, she felt better about it.

But, half of the training wasn’t just about being physical. It was also tactical analysis of an opponent, and Lydia soaked up the knowledge like a sponge. 

Scott helped Jackson tug the net in place and they made sure to test it, having both Erica, Cora, and Isaac drop down onto it a couple of times before figuring it was as good as it was going to get. The net was still ten foot high and only sagged two feet down regardless of the weight of whoever fell onto it, so that still left a good eight feet of space left underneath the ‘Were-nator’ (as Scott fondly named it) for a section of ground courses. Stiles took a breather after doing the last ward and went to help make some elvish booby traps. On half of the area there was a course that looked a bunch like the human’s obstacle course, except it had more booby traps and deeper pits. The other side was made into a practice ring for fighting.

Stiles nearly collapsed by the time the sun set that day, but figured at least he could rest up until tomorrow afternoon. The rest of the pack were hanging out inside after taking showers and cleaning up. Melissa stopped by to help in her own way, fixing dinner for the pack, making sure no one helped her except for Peter, scarily enough.

“She knows everything, right?” Stiles murmured to Scott.

Scott nodded, narrowing his eyes at the former Alpha as he helped Melissa chop up some onions. Despite John keeping a careful eye on Peter, most of the pack were still wary of him being around anyone, much less a human. 

“Then why is she allowing him to charm her?” Stiles asked, confused.

“Because he has charisma. Plus, there’s not much he can do right now, considering the Sheriff now has a tight hold on his balls.” Lydia pointed out nearby, causing all the males in the room to flinch instinctively.

“Ok, please let’s not talk about my dad’s sex life, thank you very much.” Stiles muttered, causing Jackson to agree whole heartedly with him.

“You almost sound envious, Stiles. Is Derek not giving you any?” Erica teased, causing the other teen to flip her off with a scowl. 

“More like there’s been no time for that.” Cora smirked wryly. “Or privacy.”

“Will you guys stop tormenting my son?” John stated with a fond, but exasperated eye roll.

“He puts you through food hell and you are still defending him?” Jackson laughed.

“You’re right. Please keep tormenting my son.” John teased, causing Stiles to sputter in protest.

“I only do that for your health! Jesus. Maybe I should stop doing it! See if I care if you get a heart-attack.” Stiles muttered with mock-hurt in his tone.

“Pitty parties are for the idiots, Stiles, give it a rest.” Lydia stated primly.

Stiles pouted, but then laughed good-naturedly when Boyd up and pommeled Jackson on the shoulder for hogging the TV remote. Derek returned from scouting the nearby woods and went up to take a shower. Melissa almost had the lasagna and salad done by the time he came back downstairs, and the pack settled in for a feast.

\---------------------------------------------------

That night, John figured it was time to tell the pack privacy runes were going to be put up on every bedroom before bed, just so no one got scarred for life if someone just so happened to hear something they shouldn’t. It would be a bit weird, since the others wouldn’t be able to hear anything, including heartbeats. But, each pair would be getting also a pager that would signal the rest of the pack should they be in trouble. 

Stiles and Derek wasn’t too keen not being able to hear the rest of the pack, but they soon got used to it. It was nice to have their pager on the nightstand if they needed it, along with cell phones. The rest of the pack seemed a bit uneasy as well, but soon most appreciated the privacy. Stiles sure did when Derek started making out with him in bed in the middle of the night.

Stiles let out a shuddering moan when Derek slotted himself between his mate’s legs, easing his body down so that he basically became a big, heavy Werewolf blanket for the Cyger/Elf hybrid.

God, he had so missed this. 

Cora was a dear, and Stiles was happy Derek had her now in his life, but there were times when peeps had privacy, especially when it came to sexytimes. Derek kissed Stiles deeply and let out a stifled moan when the boy arched his back, rubbing their growing erections together.

It was definitely a perk of being an Elf, being able to disrobe Derek and himself in a blink of an eye. He’d learned that nifty trick a few days ago, after reading some different sorts of spells and things like that in one of his dad’s Elf tomes. Derek let out a low hiss as Stiles raked lengthened claws down his back.

“Mine.” Stiles murmured against Derek’s lips, and laughed softly when the older Were grunted in agreement.

Soon their kissing turned to heavy, wet nips and licks, Derek lapping at Stiles’ pert nipples while the boy was trying to rut up against his mate more. “Derek…. I need… I want….” Stiles babbled, gasping out a low keen as Derek gave into lust and want by rolling his hips.

Stiles reached down and gripped Derek’s ass, pressing up against the older male, making the space between them a thing of memory in the process. Derek fucking growled at the act, and started giving the boy love bites on his neck and shoulder, just hard enough to mark, but not deep enough to draw blood.

Stiles felt his eyes change into that of a cat’s and he let out a shuddering moan as he arched one last time, feeling his balls draw up in almost climax. Derek bit down harder, and stifled his own moan as Stiles sank his fangs into his shoulder. 

Stiles came with a stuttered moan, feeling his knot form for the first time in almost a month. 

Derek gently licked the sore area that he’d been worrying into Stiles’ skin, before he shuddered through another orgasm. Sometimes, being a Were was bliss. And this was one of those times. Stiles whimpered as his cock gushed out another bout of seed. 

Oh yea, multiple orgasms were epic.


	31. Chapter 31: Possible Threat and Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I wasn't able to post this chap like I wanted to yesterday. Anyways, new developments! Hope you enjoy the chapter, regardless of the short length. I figure I will have a better schedule now with all postings now being moved to Mondays, so FYI if you don't know of that as of yet. So, next chap will be up on Monday, May 5. For those of you who are waiting anxiously for Madness, I regret to inform you that the chapter will have to wait to be posted until tomorrow. But, it is a very hot and good chapter, so I will definitely reward you for the wait ;) Thanks again for all of your support in kudos and comments. Please keep them coming, for they never cease to inspire.

**Chapter 31: Possible Threat and Confessions**

Peter watched John as the man paced the perimeter around the safe house one last time before heading in for the night. John was tense, but the Beta knew better than to try and get the Elf to relax. The whole pack would be on edge until Gerard was dealt with. Still, that didn’t mean that the Elf couldn’t have some enjoyment tonight.

The wards around the house would hold against any malicious foe, supernatural or no, so maybe he could distract John for a bit. Now of course, wasn’t the time, but perhaps later. John scanned the area, rechecking the wards a few more times before he sighed and figured he was being paranoid.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that someone or something was watching the pack. He’d started feeling that way as soon as they had all turned in for the night. Tuning into his Blood Elf senses, the Sheriff rescanned the area.

“Someone’s watching.” Peter commented dryly once the two went inside. 

“Yes.” John nodded slowly, “I picked that up too as soon as the pack went to bed.”

Peter rubbed the bridge of his nose and said with a soft sigh, “What do you want me to do about it?”

John narrowed his eyes at the former Alpha, and after a full moment of silence, Peter explained, “If there is a threat out there, it needs to be handled.” He hovered a bit as John sat down with a huff on one of the bar stools in the kitchen. 

“No.” John murmured softly, causing Peter to sigh heavily.

“How am I going to gain the pack’s trust, or yours if I am not allowed to do what I do best?” Peter rolled his eyes. 

“Mmmm…. It’s not because of trust, this time around, Peter.” John arched a sardonic eyebrow. “Just out of curiosity, what is it that you do best?”

Peter snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. He regarded John for a few minutes before he finally admitted, “Despite what you might think, before the fire, I wasn’t a cold blooded killer. Nor did I ever want to be one.”

John raised both eyebrows at that comment.

Peter admitted, “I admit to being a strategist, and even manipulation is a strong point of mine.” At John’s smirk at that comment, Peter pointed out, “But, maybe Charlie wasn’t the only one who was in the military at one time or another.”

“So you are saying you are Steven Segal?” John blinked.

“I was thinking more along the lines of Jason Bourne, just without the peeps after him and the whole memory loss.” Peter smirked.

John stood and motioned for Peter to follow him. Arching a curious eyebrow, the Beta followed the graceful Elf as he moved through the safe house, all the way down into the basement. Peter had never been down there, and he noted that it was a pretty nifty looking area that could be used as a bomb shelter or even a heat corridor. It oddly reminded him of the old Hale house, but before his terrible memories could take hold, John pressed on a slot near a plain wall. 

As the wall pulled away to show a hidden room behind it, Peter whistled in interest. “And here I thought the reason why you wouldn’t let me go assassin mode was due to not wanting me to revert back to my baser instincts just yet.”

“That _is_ part of the reason, Peter.” John stated dryly, taking a moment to touch the ward in front of the huge computer control panel. It flared green, and then the Elf was able to sit down in a chair in front of the surveillance system. “The other reason, is that I would rather have you here with me so you can help spot supernatural signatures that I might otherwise miss. Hunters, aren’t just a problem at this point.”

“Does this mean that you believe Gerard might be employing Weres to hunt us down?” Peter questioned, eyes flickering from each screen of the fourteen panel system.

“Not just Weres, but anything he can grab onto for his cause.” John said.

“If I do this, will you let me _touch_ you tonight?” Peter leaned in and nuzzled his master’s hair.

John took in the Beta’s mouthwatering scent and he was _so_ tempted to give in. To finally take the Beta up against the wall, fucking his brains out. And when Peter let out a soft pleading whine, John caved, at least partially. “Perhaps. If you are a good boy.”

“Excellent. Now how in the hell do you operate the keyboard? It’s in pure Elvish.” Peter scowled in puzzlement.

John let out a soft laugh. “I guess that would help.” Then again, John wasn’t nearly as idiotic as he sometimes seemed. He had a ward on the keyboard that switched its dialect every hour. So even if Peter did learn this particular dialect of Elvish, he’d have to decipher four hundred other different types before he could formulate commands. 

John waved his hand over the keyboard and paused the ward for a bit, revealing a regular English style keyboard.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott sighed and rubbed his head with a towel as he came back from the bathroom adjoining his and Isaac’s room. Isaac was already in his own bed, with a book in his hand, looking like he was trying to read, but failing miserably. The piercings had all been removed and put on the nightstand, along with his cell phone and charger. Isaac looked so adorable right then and there, his hair still a bit damp from his own previous shower, down and hanging over one eye. It was frizzing and though the boy had straightened his hair the day before, his natural curls were starting to form.

The blue tips were almost gone, and Scott blinked a few times before he realized that Isaac was staring at his chest. Flushing a bit, Scott went over to his duffel and pulled out a shirt. “Why were you staring at my hair?” Isaac finally asked in a small voice.

Scott blinked, and then he laughed softly, though he kept it light and easy, not wanting to be a total douche bag when Isaac got vulnerable like this. “Just wondering what color you are going to dye it next, nothing big. Why were you staring at my chest?”

“Oh.” And for a moment Scott thought he had pushed too far. He tugged on a black sleeveless t-shirt and nearly had a heart attack when Isaac blurted out, “Because it’s sexy. You have great nipples. And pecks. Definitely _pecks_. How much do you work out?”

Scott couldn’t help it, he started laughing. He turned at looked at Isaac. “You have been hanging around Stiles way too much, Isaac. You are starting to have similar weird comebacks.”

Isaac sat up and put his book away, figuring he wasn’t going to be able to read, and that it had been totally stupid to think to bring it anyways. Isaac thought for a long moment, and soon silence turned to awkward silence, when Scott noted that the other Beta was being dead serious. “I wasn’t joking.” Isaac admitted in a whisper, and he looked like he was in a cross of indecision between bolting or staying put and begging for forgiveness.

Scott’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline, but after a moment of watching Isaac worry his comforter with shaking fingers, his eyes softened in understanding. “It’s ok, Isaac.” Scott murmured, and he walked over and sat down next to him on the other boy’s bed.

“It is?” Isaac asked, still trying to avoid eye contact.

“Will you stop that? I am not going to judge you for how you feel.” Scott teased a little, making Isaac flush even more.

“Just forget I said anything.” The moody wolf stated with a deep, mournful sigh. 

“Dude, I am not going to forget this.” Scott nudged the boy on the shoulder. He then smiled really big. “Seriously though, you think I’m hot?”

“Yea, I think you’re hot.” Isaac let out a soft bitter laugh.

Scott pouted and then he went all serious. He reached over and tilted Isaac’s chin so he could look into his eyes. When Isaac still tried to avoid eye contact, Scott growled lowly and leaned in, capturing his mouth in a gentle, but meaningful kiss. Isaac was unresponsive at first, being in total shock, but then when his brain finally caught up to his body, he melted, and kissed back shyly.

Scott pulled away slowly and smiled when he finally saw Isaac’s vulnerable and unsure eyes gazing into his. “Well, I think you’re sexy, so I guess we both are idiots in denial, am I right?”

“You think I’m sexy? Really?” Isaac’s voice sounded achingly hopeful, and Scott really wanted to go pummel the boy’s father for making him so wounded and jilted.

“You think I’d kiss just anyone?” Scott arched a brow and both laughed.

“Can… can we do that again?” Isaac asked, licking his lips.

Scott smiled and leaned in for another kiss.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lone Elf warrior with long dark crimson hair watched the safe house curiously, a large hellhound at his side, eerily silent save for quiet breaths. Red demonic eyes shown from the hellhound’s face, of which matched his master’s eyes as well. The elf reached down and stroked the hellhound’s nape with black painted fingernails, his mind deep in thought, though he kept in tune with the nature sounds around him.

The hellhound leaned into his master’s touch, but otherwise waited patiently for orders or course of action. His master’s will was everything to the hellhound, no matter what the cost. His master had saved him from a terrible fate worse than death, and so the hellhound would protect his master until death or longer, depending on his master’s will.

The Elf’s crimson eyes narrowed as he heard the trees whisper a tale of murder in the Preserve nearby. Looks like the pack would be safe for now, with the wards put up by the rogue Elf Guardian. As for the forest… that remained to be seen. If Gerard wasn’t behind the newest kill, then who had done so?

Unlike those of his brethren in the Elven Royal Guard, this particular Elf did not care about rogues just as long as they kept out of the limelight and didn’t go completely evil. And after a few months of surveillance after the maturity ritual revealed not just one, but two rogues, both related, father and son, that were a part of the newly strengthened Hale pack, this Sentinel had deemed them as no threat to the world around them.

The Sentinel narrowed his eyes again as he listened for more news from the trees and the wind swirling through them. He had a sneaky suspicion that death, if not stopped, was going to spread through the Preserve and eventually spill out into Beacon Hills. Luckily for Beacon Hills, and the pack, the Sentinel was well prepared for it. 

It was his job to hunt down rogues, yes. But it was also his job to destroy threats, and if Gerard Argent thought he was lord over these lands, then the hunter had a rude awakening coming for him. And if the deaths were coming from a different being, then that being would be dealt with as well.

The Sentinel watched over the Hale safe house for another few minutes before the calls of the forest became too strong to ignore. He left the area with his hellhound by his side, dark forest green cloak drawn up around his neck, hood placed strategically over his vibrant hair.


	32. Chapter 32: Developments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one got out a day late! Been very very busy! Anyways, Sink My Teeth Into You's update will be out tomorrow, I promise. Also, just as a warning to those of you who might have triggers, there is some graphic description of a girl's corpse, including mentions of past rape. It's brief, but it does happen, so just warning you. Also, there is a bit of non-consent from Peter, but it's very very light and you'll see it when you get there ;) 
> 
> Otherwise enjoy the chapter! Sterek will return next chapter, I promise. Next chap will be up on Monday (I hope), May 12. Thanks again for your kudos and comments, they help inspire so please keep them coming.

**Chapter 32: Developments**

Uriel crouched down next to Caleb, scowling at the random body laying in the middle of the Preserve. He looked her over, noting nothing really special, other than the fact that the girl was young, possibly in her late teens. The hellhound by his side growled lowly deep in his throat at the corpse, probably hating the fact that she had been molested before her vicious death.

“I know, my friend.” Uriel soothed Caleb, reaching over to stroke his companion’s dark fur. 

Crimson eyes narrowed, but otherwise Caleb did nothing more besides sniff at the girl’s hair.

“Let’s start with the basics, mmm?” The Sentinel suggested, hovering his palm over the girl’s body, careful not to touch it.

Caleb grunted, but reached up with one gigantic paw and placed it over the Blood Elf’s hand. The sooner they figured out what had happened to the poor girl, the sooner they could get a pin on the murderer, supernatural or otherwise. Soon the Blood Elf channeled their combined powers and carefully scanned the girl’s postmortem diagnostic. She had definitely been violated before death, and had sustained stab wounds in the process. The vile creature who had done this to her had made sure to kill the girl in a way that was slow and torturous. 

Caleb whined softly, and Uriel sighed deeply, finishing up the diagnostic. “Well that was depressing, wasn’t it?” He murmured, not expecting a comeback.

Caleb nodded slowly in agreement. 

The Elf stood and brushed off his pants, turning to look around the girl’s body for any sign of tracks left by the attacker. “It appears she was dumped here. The slashes on her chest and arms were definitely done with a basic kitchen knife.”

Uriel paused for a moment to think, and then he concluded with a soft frustrated sigh, “This is no work of Gerard’s. A hunter as shrewd as he would have had more tact.”

 _“Do you think it was human? I don’t smell Were anywhere around here. Nor much supernatural residue either.”_ Caleb asked, looking around as well, sniffing the ground as the two walked around the crime scene.

“Possibly.” The Sentinel answered. He turned around and scanned the trees, listening for news. “If so, then we may have to leave this up to the human authorities.”

Caleb growled lowly in his throat in protest and the Elf raised his hands in an offering of peace. “I am just saying that we can’t get involved directly with humans. We could lead them in the right direction, but we have to be careful about not only our exposure, but the pack’s.”

 _“We might not have a choice but to get involved, master.”_ Caleb insisted, pointing out dryly, _“The girl was bitten recently. I could still smell it on her.”_

“Damnit all to hell.” Uriel cursed softly in Elvish for a time until he calmed down. His eyes flared with resolve, “The poor girl had barely a chance to survive a bite, let alone a vicious raping. If she rises tonight, we will know that she is a very pissed off traumatized Banshee. If she stays dead, then it’ll be a blessing. I hate to say it, but that poor girl has been through enough as it is.”

 _“Perhaps. But if she lives, she will be vulnerable to her own powers.”_ Caleb decided, _“She will need to be trained.”_

Uriel nodded slowly, “We will see what happens come morning. If she breathes at first dawn, I will call on Ember to take child under her wing.”

Caleb nodded and they looked around some more for any clues as to what had happened.

Trees usually were very basic about their feelings. Despite not being able to actually have eyes around the forest, they could sure sense whenever something happened. That being said, the trees couldn’t offer much input on the actual murder suspect, but they could give details on touch and smell. He just hoped that the vile murderer had left a touch residue on one of the tree trunks nearby.   
Uriel pressed his slender palms onto several tree trunks, listening to thoughts and tree senses. When he came up empty, the Elf bared his fangs in frustration. Hissing softly into the night air, the Sentinel looked up at the tree canopies, noting that the leaves were almost gone. However, one torn piece of fabric riddled with feathers caught his eye at the very top of one branch. 

He narrowed his elvish eyes, zooming in on the fabric. The feathers were covered in blood. The girl’s blood, from the looks of it. The hellhound at his side smelled it around the same time Uriel had spotted it. The great beast whined in agitation as Uriel summoned the fabric to him, careful to keep it hovering away from his hands, lest he mess with the smell.

Caleb growled lowly, _“We are dealing with a male Strix.”_

“Oh beautiful. This night just keeps getting better and _better_.” Uriel groused before he sobered and carefully put the evidence in a small pouch in his cloak. 

Strix were terrible bird like creatures that preyed on human flesh. To have one not even try to snack on the girl, but violate her and kill her viciously, it sounded like the creature was either insane or cursed. Perhaps both. 

“I wonder….” Uriel pondered, “If Gerard has a cursed one under his control.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John pressed Peter up against the wall of their room, his mouth alternating between biting and sucking the wolf’s mouth off. Peter took it in stride and let out soft moaning growls at the feel of his master basically devouring his tongue. John wasn’t in the mood for slow tonight. He wanted quick, brutal releases from them both. 

As he continued to kiss the submissive wolf pinned to the wall in front of him, he rolled his hips and lifted a leg in between Peter’s thighs. Peter let out a soft aching moan, arching his hips against his master’s, his brain too far gone to care if it seemed a bit too bold or not. However, some fragment in his mind still stood out in stark reality, making him insane with need. 

“Master….” Peter gasped out against John’s lips, “Please… let me touch you.”

His hands were in John’s silky long hair, lightly tugging, but not hard enough to hurt. John pulled away slightly and took in the sight of Peter’s open v-neck button up, sweat just starting to collect on his succulent skin, and the bulging arousal straining against the wolf’s pants. The Elf licked his lips and raised his eyes to Peter’s flickering blue ones.

In answer, John released his hold on the wolf’s neck, pressing his palms up against the wall in assent. Peter slowly moved his hands from John’s hair and he tugged the older man’s tunic off, quickly followed by his shirt. Once the skin was bared, Peter leaned in to lap at the Elf’s sensitive nipples, causing John to hitch his breath at the feel. 

When Peter went to tug at John’s pants, the older man stopped him with a slow kiss, murmuring huskily, “Only touch for now.”

Peter nodded against John’s lips and with clever fingers, freed the older man’s leaking cock. Peter could smell just how intoxicating John’s arousal was, and he ached to get his mouth around it, but knew better. He would only be allowed to touch, not taste John’s cock tonight, and that was fine for him for now. 

John let out a shuddering moan as Peter explored his cock, feeling all of the smooth velvet over steel. It wasn’t long before John was pressing Peter up against the wall again, kissing him hard and fast, his cock thick in the wolf’s hand. Peter tugged on John’s hair, trying hard not to give in to his own desires just yet. He took John’s hard kisses with heightening desire and relish, even as it became a bit harder to stroke the other man’s cock. 

When he was sure that John was about to come, Peter let out a choked moan, feeling John’s hands inside his pants, stroking the crease of his ass. God, that felt so good. And though Peter wasn’t a virgin to both sexes by any means, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to feel as hard as he was now. John started littering fanged kisses and bites all over Peter’s neck, his fingers questing and finding a sweat opening. And when John pressed his finger up against Peter’s entrance, slowly easing it inside, the wolf was lost in the sensation of being breached for the first time in over six years.

Peter threw back his head and moaned, his hand squeezing a bit too tight on John’s cock. However, the pain seemed to excite John, for the Elf let out a guttural moan, his hips bucking up into his touch. John pressed his finger in deeper, and managed to find Peter’s prostate at the first surge. Peter let out a howl of pain mixed with pleasure and came without his cock ever being touched.

John arched his hips against Peter’s now slack fist and soon roared out his own release, cumming all over the wolf’s hand and stomach.

Peter was nearly whimpering by the time they both came down from their highs. John removed his finger, but then he reached down, opened Peter’s pants and took his still hard and sensitive length out. Peter hissed softly as John put both of their cocks together and rubbed the still leaking come all over them. Peter was about to protest that their cocks were still recovering, and would be for a while despite Werewolf and Elf higher potency and faster sexual recovery periods, but then he let out a soft cry of pain mixed with pleasure.

John started at a gentle pace, but then as Peter was about to die from sensitivity, the Elf suddenly went tighter and rougher. The pain mixed with pleasure was too much for both of them and they came in quick spurts again, their come splattering all over each other.

John released Peter’s cock and his own, but he continued to roll his hips languidly against the wolf’s, enjoying the feel of wet cock against his own. John buried his face into Peter’s neck and shuddered through a pseudo orgasm.

Being a Blood Elf master so had it’s perks.


	33. Chapter 33: The Shriek of a Banshee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, another interlude chapter, but Sterek did return, so I hope you all enjoy. Next chap will be much longer and will be up on schedule on Tuesday, May 20. Thanks again for all of your comments and kudos, they help inspire so please keep them coming.

**Chapter 33: The Shriek of a Banshee**

Stiles mewled softly as Derek snuggled more into his neck. The Alpha yawned tiredly and tried to bask more into his mate’s warmth for the next hour. Though Stiles might not need to get up at ass o’clock, Derek needed to, for it would be his turn to start patrol. John and Peter had went inside for the night not too long ago, and Derek, being an Alpha, couldn’t help but feel the need to go out and scout the perimeter. Even with the wards holding strong, Derek still felt the instinct to protect his pack. 

He’d promised Stiles that he would only patrol for two hours, and would ensure to take Scott with him. Usually Stiles would be the best choice to go with Derek on patrols, but the boy was friggin’ exhausted from all of the ward training. So, Derek would pair off with Scott for a few hours, and then Erica and Isaac would take over for them. By morning, Jackson and Alec would have their turn. 

Stiles would have the day off to rest, regardless if he wanted to or not. Considering Stiles really didn’t complain about Derek’s decision spoke of how tired the boy really was.   
Danny, Boyd, and Lydia would head out first thing in the morning to meet up with Allison for their weekly training (though this would be Lydia’s first time) meeting. Though Allison and her family were still on a strict schedule due to Gerard, at least the girl was able to use Lydia as an excuse now to leave without someone tailing her.

Granted, Chris did make sure that his daughter had a fellow hunter to accompany Allison, but otherwise she had free reign to head into the old subway station for training practice. It wasn’t an ideal place, but it was the safest area for members of the pack to train in her presence. Chris would keep Gerard occupied by patrolling in the southern part of the Preserve.

Derek felt his ears twitch as he heard a cry outside the house. It was soft enough to be discerned as being far away, but it was close enough to suggest being in the preserve. Stiles’ ears twitched and he blinked open his tired eyes in confusion.

All was still for a moment as the two Alphas listened with baited breaths. When there was no other sound, the two relaxed. Hopefully that hadn’t been another poor soul getting halved by Gerard. Derek stroked a gentle and comforting hand through Stiles’ long hair, and the other Alpha sighed tiredly. Derek kissed his mate on the ear and murmured softly, “Patrol starts early, I suppose. Get some rest and I will text you or call you should we find something.”

Stiles nodded, even though both knew that he’d probably not get any sleep until Derek scouted the entire area and came up clean. But, it was a nice sentiment. At least Stiles would be resting, if not sleeping. Stiles yawned as his lover got up and changed into a pair of jeans and a thin sweatshirt. The Alpha wolf texted Scott to let him know the situation. It wasn’t long before Scott replied, stating that he’d meet Derek outside in a minute.

Derek opened their bedroom window and jumped out, landing easily on his feet a few floors below. Stiles rolled his eyes at his mate’s antics, but still looked around pensively. He had a nagging suspicion he was being watched for whatever reason. After another look around, he sighed deeply and shut his window, resetting the protective ward around it.

Derek met up with Scott shortly after, taking note that the boy smelled like he’d just bathed in Isaac. Granted, Scott and Isaac lived with each other, so both did smell normally like each other, but this was intense. Derek blinked at the teen, and after Scott caught the look from his Alpha, he flushed and shrugged. “Guess I am not single anymore?”

“Congratulations.” Derek said softly, before he flashed the boy a small mischievous smile. “Wondered when the two of you would get together.”

“Jesus fucking _Christ_. Why do I feel like everyone on the planet knew about us before we did?” Scott whined softly as he headed into the woods, following his Alpha’s steps.

“Because we did.” Derek deadpanned, before he lightly smacked the Beta upside the head and trotted off to the right. "You hurt him, I will rip your throat out with my teeth."

Scott growled lowly, but then he rolled his eyes at the Alpha’s humor. As if he would hurt Isaac intentionally. _Bullshit_.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Lydia sat in her room, blankly staring out of her window while Jackson slept cuddled up by her side. She’d heard that cry. And something deep inside of her understood that the cry wasn’t just a cry. It was a scream. A pure pained, horribly tormented scream. Not one for help, but one for vengeance. And it scared her.

But, Jackson hadn’t even stirred much when the cry had happened. Maybe she was going crazy? Maybe something in her genetic makeup was now screwed to hell and back due to the bite? Lydia sighed deeply, and still stared. As she stared, she waited with bated breath to hear more.

At the same time she felt dread sinking into the pit of her stomach like ice cubes in a glass of tea.

She knew she should try and go back to sleep. She was going to have an early morning, going to train with Allison and Danny and Boyd. But, that scream had ruined all chances of that. Absently rubbing her face, Lydia yawned and decided that she might as well do some homework if she couldn’t get any sleep.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Uriel cursed softly as the Banshee stood in front of him, eyes glowing wild and as green as tree leaves in summer’s morning mist. “Malia, please, let us help you.”

“Where is he?” Malia hissed out, fangs glinting in the dim moonlight.

“If you mean the Skrix, then he has gone. I am not sure where to. Please, do not seek vengeance until you understand your powers and can control them. Let me call on Ember to come help. She is also like you, and will be able to help you even more than we could.” Uriel suggested gently, though he was at the ready to smack the girl upside the head if she tried to escape.

Malia blinked a few times and the girl finally let out a soft wail, it’s fury and sorrow so horrible and haunting that it even made Caleb whine in understanding. “I have to kill him.”

“Yes, you do. And we are not suggesting that you shouldn’t. All supernatural creatures deserve justice. However, if you do not learn your powers and hold onto the shreds of sanity that makes you stable, then you could get not only yourself killed, but all that you hold dear as well.” Uriel pointed out.

Malia’s face crumpled in a bit and she let out a louder wail, “He killed my family. I have nothing and no one left. It doesn’t matter if I die. If I take him with me who cares?”

 _“Malia, listen to me if not to my master. I was once like you. I once would rather die than live another day with the anger, guilt, and pain created by a foe. However, I was able to get my revenge and live on because my master taught me that I would be doing my family a disservice if I killed myself in the process. Do not throw your life away. Train. Get stable. And when the time is right, enact your revenge. But do it with cunning. Don’t get caught, and be sure to leave not a trace. We do not want to have a bloody war on our hands.”_ Caleb stated calmly, though his mental voice was firm.

Malia looked into the hellhound’s crimson eyes and nodded. Something in those words had struck a long forgotten chord within the Banshee’s wounded heart. “You will not interfere?”

“Only if your actions get out of hand will we be forced to interfere.” Uriel answered, crimson eyes flickering with knowing. “The Banshee I am calling is named Ember. She will not only be able to train you to control your abilities, but she is also a pretty good assassin when the need calls for it. She will be able to give you some pointers on getting your revenge without getting caught.”

“Very well. As long as I get to rip his heart out of his chest.” Malia growled lowly.

“Little bloodthirsty female, but can we really blame her?” Uriel murmured once Ember came and picked up her new charge with disturbing relish.

Caleb whined softly in answer.

Uriel gently rubbed his companion’s ears and then sighed. “Best get back to the safe house. I have a feeling that the pack might have heard Malia’s callings. Or at least one might have.”

\------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles let out a soft mewl as Derek picked him up from the recliner at his desk a few hours later. The coast had been clear, and there had been no sign of whatever it was that had been in distress. It was a bit disconcerting, but Derek wasn’t going to stomp his feet in frustration because their search had turned up empty. 

Scott had headed back to bed, and Derek was going to do the same, loving the fact that he had a warm and willing mate to cuddle up with at the same time. Stiles mumbled something unintelligible as Derek closed the boy’s laptop. Apparently Stiles hadn’t been able to get any sleep during the two hours, but the last few minutes must have really been hard for him to stay awake. Derek rumbled contentedly as he placed his mate into bed, following soon after. Stiles instinctively snuggled and burrowed his face into the older man’s chest, breathing in the comforting scent of pack and Derek. The Alpha wolf rumbled again and yawned tiredly, showing a bit of fang regardless if his inner wolf was making an appearance or not.

Both human and wolf parts wanted sleep. Both wanted to cuddle their mate. And both didn’t give a rat’s ass about anything else at the moment. Still, Derek’s ears twitched at the sound of pack, listening absently for the sounds of Erica and Isaac running for the trees.

Maybe Derek and Scott hadn’t found anything out there in the woods tonight. But, perhaps that might have been a good thing.


	34. Chapter 34: Don't Fuck with Mother Nature

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot! Ok, sorry this one took so long to post. Been busier than a beaver, let me tell ya. But, here are some interesting developments. A bit of a cliffie at the end, but don't worry, John isn't going to ignore Stiles' call ;) It just seemed the best place to split the huge chapter in half. The next chap will be up on Tuesday, May 27. Thanks again for your comments and kudos. They inspire me to keep going, so please continue them. Also, for those of you who read Madness, that chapter update will be up tomorrow.

**Chapter 34: Don’t Fuck with Mother Nature**

Stiles held his umbrella and yawned tiredly as he waited for Derek to come and pick him up from school. After a full week of laying low and Gerard not really showing his face around this area of Beacon Hills, despite his granddaughter going to school there, Stiles’ dad had decided it was time for the pack to start putting their feelers out sort-of-speak. This meant Scott, Stiles, and Isaac had to return to school with the rest of the pack barring the adults. 

As soon as Stiles stepped foot into the high school, however, the bright uncharacteristically warm winter day turned into a more seasonal thing. That meant winter rain and snow mix. Sometimes Stiles hated living in Beacon Hills. Granted, he squealed like any normal snow loving child whenever it snowed even an inch around these parts, but today he just wasn’t feeling it. Perhaps mother nature was mirroring his moods or something like that.

It didn’t help that his teachers had all basically landslided him with an ungodly amount of makeup tests and homework to last him a friggin lifetime to go through regardless that he turned in all of his assignments on time during the time he was out. Well, that was just his life, and he’d best deal with it. It could always be worse. Harris could have decided to put him into detention.

Stiles adjusted his backpack over one shoulder and absently looked around, noting that most kids were still milling around the back of the school, but none were really paying attention to anyone but themselves. Total normal high school. It felt weird that normal really wasn’t normal anymore. It also felt weird knowing that most peeps were so oblivious to the supernatural world.

Then again, maybe that was sort of a good thing.

Scott nudged him and he smiled a bit, though it wasn’t really much of one. Scott had taken it upon himself to be Stiles’ guard dog, or wolf, pun intended. Then again, it wasn’t that much of a change from when they’d been regular humans. Scott was always the one who protected, while Stiles got them both out of messes. Then again, he normally got them both into the messes in the first place, but that was besides the point.

“So, you are ok with it?” Scott pressed, nudging Stiles again.

The Alpha hybrid glowered at his buddy, but then he shrugged with a small smile, “Yea, I guess so. As long as you two dating doesn’t interfere with bro-time. I am totally cool with Isaac though. He’s a total cute puppy at heart.”

Scott grinned a bit goofily, but then he narrowed his eyes as the Camaro pulled up. Guess it was time for Scott to head over to the Vet’s for his actual job. Stiles told him to be careful, and then he got into his mate’s car, watching as his bro took off on his bike, quickly followed by Jackson.

He leaned over and gave Derek a nuzzle and kiss on the lips. The act caused Derek to rumble softly and tug him closer for a deeper kiss. When Derek pulled away, both of them were kind of flushed, but that was ok. Until Stiles heard a wolf-whistle coming from one of the new students that transferred in. Stiles thought his name was Ethan, but he wasn’t sure.

Stiles couldn’t help but growl lowly under his breath, noting that the boy was now giving Danny eyes as he passed by. Derek laid a firm, but comforting hand on Stiles’ shoulder and murmured, “Let it go. He’s just here to watch.”

“How do you know? I can smell the Alpha all over him.” Stiles bit out, pausing to clip his safety belt on.

Derek shrugged, “He’s part of a bigger pack of Alphas. But as far as I can tell, the twins aren’t much of a threat while Gerard is in town. They probably have heard rumors and have been ordered to scout out Beacon Hills for weaknesses. So, if they don’t attack you or the pack, let them behave like idiots. We don’t want to mess with small fry for now.”

“Duly noted.” Stiles nodded, “Makes sense though. I never knew that there were packs out there made up of solely Alphas.”

“It happens once in a while, but not often. It’s tough for Alphas to be in the same pack unless mated. As far as I know, Deucalion’s brood has only one mated pair.” Derek added, and when Stiles gave him a narrowed gaze, he explained, “I don’t know much about them, just that they like testing other packs. I was part of a New York pack for a while that was tested. The pack there held up pretty well, and Deucalion left.”

Stiles sighed softly and stated, “Fun stuff.”

“A whole lot.” Derek snarked softly before he reached over and stroked his thumb across Stiles’ face. “Let us worry about what’s in front of us for now. We have bigger problems than Deucalion.”

“Ok.” Stiles said with a tired yawn.

“So how was school?” Derek asked as he sped away, leaving the school parking lot in a flashy move.

Stiles snorted, still getting used to the fact that Derek liked showing off for his mate even if the Alpha had no clue he was doing it. It was a nice feeling though, even if a bit odd. “Harris was a dick. But he’s always a dick. Though less than a dick than usual since he didn’t give me detention for once. As for the rest of school, nothing much happened besides getting loaded with extra homework and makeup tests.”

“Teachers used to grade by attendance as well as assignments, Stiles. So, since I doubt that the system has changed much in the last few years, I figure this is the reason behind their ‘torture’.” Derek said with a small knowing smile. “In order to not flunk one of their brightest students, they are giving you a bunch of homework and tests so they can overcompensate for your horrible attendance.”

“Yea, well it still isn’t very nice of them to do so.” Stiles whined and laid his head back on the head rest of his seat. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, “Fuck my life.”

“I would, but you aren’t legal just yet.” Derek chided gently, though he couldn’t help but smirk.

Stiles blinked and narrowed his eyes at his mate and muttered, “Asshole.”

“And yet, you still love me.” Derek said with a cheeky smile.

Stiles rolled his eyes and sighed. Finally he leaned over and kissed his mate on the cheek before murmuring, “Yes, I still love you. And I appreciate the attempts at trying to make me feel better.”

“They aren’t working though, are they?” The other Alpha sighed softly, stopping at a red light and turning to look into Stiles’ soft brown eyes.

Stiles shrugged and admitted, “I dunno. All day I have been edgy. Like my inner Cyger and Elf know that something’s about to happen. Something bad. And it’s preparing for it. I don’t know how to explain it.”

Derek reached over and took Stiles’ hand, gently squeezing it. He had to turn his attention back to the road for the light turned green, but after a few minutes of just being silent, Derek finally answered, “I feel it too.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time the duo got back to the safe house it was snowing in an all out blizzard, white out conditions all around. If Derek wasn’t a Werewolf, he’d probably wrecked a few times trying to see where he was going and running into trees for his efforts. The storm was dense and heavy, and Stiles was now gripping the sides of his seat, trying hard not to panic. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Derek’s driving, or the fact that if they did get into a wreck that they would perish. It was the fact that his magic was going haywire and he didn’t know why.

He was starting to lose control over his moods, and it was starting to show on his skin. Colors of anxiety mixed with irritable oranges were filtering through. Derek noticed, but he couldn’t do much about it, considering he had to try and concentrate on getting themselves safely to the house. Once they finally made it, Stiles was a nervous wreck.

Derek’s fists were clenched tightly on the steering wheel, and he had to forcibly relax his inner wolf so he could let go without damaging his car. Stiles was faring no better, though he was taking deep calming breaths of relief that they were finally in the safety zone. The wards accepted the Camaro with no problem.

The wards would hold back any malevolent force known to nature. Apparently blizzards weren’t on that list. Stiles and Derek headed into the house and quickly shook themselves off. “Crap, of all days to have a freak blizzard, it’d be the day that most of the pack are scouting around.” Stiles murmured with suspicion.

Even his dad had gone to the station to check up on things, Peter in tow, glamoured to look like Chaser, even though the actual deputy was up in Oregon checking on a few things before heading back to Beacon Hills. The only peeps at the safe house currently were Erica and Boyd, who’d arrived a few minutes earlier.

They were curled up on one of the fluffy sofas in the living room, watching the news with keen interest. Derek took off his coat and hung his up, along with Stiles, even though the boy seemed to want to keep his Elven jacket on at least. Stiles brushed his hair off, getting a mess of wet splotches of snow onto the rug near the entry way. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I love snow, but not supernaturally instigated.” Stiles commented dryly.

“Ditto, Alpha.” Boyd stated as the two came into the living room. “We were wondering if it was supernaturally caused too.” He pointed to the tv news cast. “They are just as perplexed as everyone else. They thought the storm would have given us maybe a bit of freezing rain, but no blizzard.”

Erica added, “They are shutting down businesses and even the University. The way this freak storm is acting, it’s like there’s a huge revolving blob right over Beacon Hills. Since it’s mostly stationary, they say that it might not move out for a few days.”

“Guess that means no school.” Stiles sighed softly, and then gave a half hearted smile, “That’s one good thing about it I guess. I can get caught up with the crap they gave me. Yippee for snow days.”

His phone suddenly buzzed. It was Scott. “Hey dude, you guys ok?”

Scott answered with a laugh, “I was going to ask you the same thing. Damn, it’s freezing outside. I am just glad that the clinic is operated by generators, not just electricity. Who knows when the power might go out tonight. But otherwise we are ok. The storm really didn’t start clobbering us until we got to the clinic anyways. I am going to clean up here and call Deaton for instructions on a few of the new English Bulldog pups we just got saddled with.”

“You mean someone just dumped them with you guys?” Stiles blinked, shocked. English Bulldogs were highly priced and valued dogs, regardless of mixed breads or whatnot. He’d always wanted a dog, and never got to have one due to the madness of his dad’s work schedule and his school schedule. So, he’d entertained himself by reading up on as many dogs as possible.

It seemed pretty ironic that he now had a Werewolf as his mate. 

“Yea, it was really weird. There was an elderly lady who came by with them, saying that she just found them under a cardboard box near a dumpster. And since she already had a few dogs of her own, she didn’t feel like she could handle the two youngsters, so she gave them to us to take care of and to foster out maybe.” Scott admitted, “Isaac seems to really be partial to them though. Deaton warned us that we might get too attached to the pups, but it’s not like we can help it.”

Stiles chewed on his lower lip and thought for a moment. “Maybe when things settle down a bit around here, and if you guys haven’t found good foster folks, we can talk about the ownership of the puppies.”

“What do you mean?” Scott asked, though he sounded hopeful, as if he knew what Stiles was going to say.

Derek blinked over at Stiles and rubbed his face, not being able to help letting out a small chuckle. Stiles rolled his eyes and flicked his mate off before he answered Scott, “I was thinking that it would be good for the pack to have some pets to take care of. It would help on full moon nights.” He was totally speculating, but no one needed to know that.

And if he flicked his mate off again for laughing his fucking head off, then who cared?

“Oh, I never thought about that, but you might actually be right. Pets are proven to help lower people’s blood pressure, even prolong lives. I’ll talk it over with Deaton and the rest of the pack when we get back to the safe house. Everything ok over there besides the freak blizzard?” Scott said wistfully, before getting down to business.

“Yea, everything is good here. Erica and Boyd got here right before we did and are checking the weather and news. Looks like the weather is due to supernatural means.” Stiles then chewed on his lower lip. “It kind of is messing with my moods too, whatever it is.”

“That sucks. I heard chocolate and ibuprofen are godsends on days like that for women.” Scott suggested with brutal honesty.

Erica overheard and started cackling hysterically, which made Stiles stick his tongue out at her. Then he answered, “Nice suggestions, but I don’t think that sort of stuff will work on my magic. It’ll probably settle once the storm passes. Or whoever is messing with Mother Nature stops or gets bitch slapped.”

“Yea well I hope this storm doesn’t last too long. I mean it’s awesome cancelling school and all – got a text about that from my mom – who is fine by the way, but it’s going to suck if the power goes out, etcetera.”

“Agreed.” Stiles stated. “Tell you what, I am going to call my dad and see what he thinks about all of this and get back with you. Make sure you charge your cell phones before heading here. I don’t want you to get stuck somewhere and have no battery power.”

“Ok, Mama Alpha.” Scott teased before he hung up.

Stiles rolled his eyes and muttered, “Fucker. I am just worried over your stupid ass.”

Derek came up behind him and hugged him a bit, nuzzling his neck to breath in his scent. He would never get enough of Stiles’ scent. It was spicy and just so mouthwatering. Derek nibbled a bit at Stiles’ neck before he murmured, “They’ll be ok. We’ll get to the bottom of this, one way or the other.”

“Yea, which is one of the reasons why I want to call my dad. Something is messing with Mother Nature, and from what I’ve read in Elvish Lore is that it never, ever ends well for the people involved or the people around it. Basically it acts like a domino effect. And all the bystanders are just fucking collateral damage.” Stiles stated worriedly. He then leaned into Derek’s touch as the other Alpha started kneading his shoulders.

That settled his magic a little, but not by much. Still, every little bit helped. While Stiles got ready to dial his dad, Derek sent a mass text to the rest of the pack, asking for statuses and when they would be able to head to the safe house. If they were going to be stuck without power or whatnot, it’d best be at the safehouse, where they had backup generators and enough food stocked up to feed a team of hungry Lacrosse players for a month. So the sooner the pack met up at the safe house, the better. 

Stiles dialed his dad and tapped his fingers on the top of the sofa idly. His dad better pick up or he was going to have a fucking conniption.


	35. Chapter 35: Strange Things at Work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok peeps, here is a chappie for ya. Some new developments! Next chap will be up a week from today on Tues, June 3. :) Thanks again for all of your comments and kudos. Please keep them coming, for they continue to inspire. Madness will definitely be up tomorrow evening. :)

**Chapter 35: Strange Things at Work**

John blinked owlishly up at the stack of papers he was going through. Peter stood by, helping the best he could by scanning files and either adding some to the growing mountain of papers, or putting them neatly back into their cabinets. Both were currently researching all they could about the Argents. Chris had been pretty helpful with supplying info about Gerard’s movements, but not his history. 

It made sense that Argent would want to be pretty close mouthed when it came to family secrets, but if they wanted to be able to go after Gerard on a more even footing, then the pack needed all the info and research they could get on the hunter. 

Peter suggested dryly, “We could always contact Allison. Granted, she was trained by her mother and not her father for the past few years or so, but she is bound to have been taught something of the family history.”

“Mmm… that would be a nice idea to talk to her about it, but unfortunately she is getting ready to be shipped out for the holidays in a few weeks. The less influence Gerard has on her the better. I talked it over with Chris and he has agreed to let Allison stay with Lydia for a few nights this week at least to give her a break.” The Sheriff yawned hugely, showing a bit of fang in the process. 

Both were still heavily glamoured, but some things John allowed to slip through the cracks of his façade. The older Elf Guard veteran looked at the increasingly teetering tower of papers and sighed deeply. There was no fucking way he was going to be able to look through all of this tonight. Perhaps it would be a good idea to pack up some of this stuff and head home and worry about the least important stuff later. 

Suddenly both men turned to listen to the sound of the rain changing. Peter wrinkled his nose at the smell, “Is that snow?”

“Jesus fucking Christ.” John muttered as he stood and brushed off his uniform pants. 

He walked over to one of the only windows with workable blinds and peered through to see outside. The wind was howling and the snow was starting to come down fast in deep blizzard like sheets. “Something tells me that life is going to go to shit in a handbasket. And when it does, it’s going to go fast.”

Peter nodded slowly, coming to stand next to him so he too could look out at the weird weather. “Too bad Christmas is still a few weeks away. Otherwise I would say ‘let’s go home and watch the _Nightmare Before Christmas_ ’.”

John narrowed his eyes at the former Alpha Werewolf.

“Too soon?” Peter asked with a small mock innocent tint to his handsome face.

John sighed deeply and shook his head, pausing to rub his tired eyes a bit. “No. You just never cease to amaze. I have no idea why I keep thinking you are some sort of Neanderthalic Were.”

Peter snorted at the light jab. “Neanderthalic? That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

“With _you_? Not in the slightest.” John returned, turning to head back to his stack of papers. 

“You may have a point.” Peter admitted. Before he could come back with a good defense, John’s phone buzzed.

“Where did I put that thing?” John muttered, looking around, ears twitching at the annoying sound of the Darth Vader theme coming from the general direction of his desk.

“If I am a Neanderthal, what does that say about you being attracted to me?” Peter finished, easily picking up the phone and handing it to John.

John rolled his eyes and stated, “I imagine some Neanderthals back in the day looked fuckable.”

Peter snorted, but let up the small petty argument when John finally got to answer his cell. Sometimes little interactions with the Sheriff were fun, but not on a prolonged basis. It wasn’t that Peter would finally give up on trying to win one over on the Sheriff. It was more along the lines that it really wasn’t worth the effort.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Uriel sniffed the air with a comical expression on his face. Someone or something was messing with Mother Nature, and it seemed as though the snow was going to fall steadily for some time unless something backfired on the perpetrator or they were stopped. Caleb snuffled through the quickly accumulating snow nearby, his thick black fur coat getting easily covered by the white substance. Already icicles were forming on the soft underbelly of the great beast, as well as on his whiskers.

He was starting to look like a fluffy stuffed wolf, but Uriel knew better than to give in to his desire for cuddly cute things. Most elves loved soft pretty things, and Uriel was no different. However, now was not the time to try and cuddle with his best friend. The Sentinel, not bothered by the snow, still tugged his hood a bit more snuggly to his face to prevent getting clobbered by blizzard force winds. 

He snapped his attention to the south, where the trees at the edge of the Preserve were sending warnings of people passing through. Uriel sniffed again, not being able to tell whether or not these peeps were part of the pack or just poor idiots stuck out in the storm. 

The Elf quickly jumped gracefully up into a thick oak, making sure to keep himself hidden lest there be any foe coming this way. Uttering a soft spell, the Elf soon was completely camouflaged by the thick tree he sat in. Caleb trotted over to the base of the tree and whined softly, but then silenced himself and busied with covering his whole body with snow. After being immersed, the hellhound was silent, only his red eyes flickering once in a while in the blinding snow.

Uriel and his companion waited with baited breath until they finally spotted two Weres making their way to the safehouse. The Elf recognized both boys, noting that both were wolves and were Betas. One was a high ranking Beta in the pack of which he had fondly nicknamed as ‘Loyal’, while the other was of slighter but no less important status. The lesser ranked Beta was nicknamed ‘Puppy’.

After they made their way past, soon followed a very disgruntled Jackal. The Beta looked like he’d rather be in a hot bath than in the middle of a snow storm, but could the Elf really blame him? Still, Uriel recognized this Beta as the one he had labeled simply as ‘Jackass’. Uriel knew all of their names of course, but he often found giving nicknames as more fun and entertaining. Sometimes life as a Sentinel was harsh and often times Uriel found himself trying to find ways to amuse himself while being stuck in a godforsaken hellhole for an undisclosed amount of time. 

‘Jackass’ trotted past them, but then he stopped and turned to scan the trees near him. This wolf may be an asshole, but he did know how to watch his own ass, especially after that little fiasco with the former Alpha Cyger. Uriel knew all about that too. Seriously, some peeps needed to keep their conversations out of range for sensitive hearing peeps. But, the pack in itself was harmless if unprovoked.

Unfortunately the Nemeton was nearby, and therefore it liked drawing all sorts of ley line drawn creatures to it like moths to a flame. The old tree root system was still at a manageable power level, but Uriel was well aware that if it got touched by the wrong person, then all hell would break loose. His people had heavily warded it’s existence from the rest of the world after the Alpha pack was created. But, it would be only a matter of time before it was stumbled upon again. 

Uriel waited with baited breath as ‘Jackass’ sniffed the air suspiciously, before he heard a soft howl in the distance, signaling the others were wondering what the hold-up was. He snorted disdainfully and yipped a few times to get the point across that he was on his way and to fuck off. 

Once it was deemed that the trio was gone and safely entering the safehouse territory nearby, Uriel dropped his invisible spell and hopped down from the tree to land easily on the ground. Caleb shook his fur and sprayed snow all over his companion, and ignored the glower he got for his troubles.

Uriel chewed on his lower lip as he scouted further away, taking in the direction of where the storm might be originating from. Unfortunately the storm was so strong already, and with limited provisions, it would be stupid to try and go after the perpetrator at the moment. With a heavy scowl, the Sentinel headed for shelter until some of the storm had played out. Thank goodness Caleb had hunted the night before, and there was a large amount of venison left over to consume. Being a Blood Elf didn’t mean that Uriel always ate meat, but when the opportunity presented itself in front of him, the Sentinel didn’t turn it away either. 

Food was food.

Plain and simple.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

“Ok, so what do you suggest we do?” Stiles asked his dad, the present pack members listening intently to the conversation.

 _“Keep doing what you are doing. Isaac, Jackson, and Scott just arrived, am I right?”_ John asked.

“Yes, Mr. Stilinski.” Isaac piped up, giving Scott a small uneasy smile.

 _“So that leaves Alec, Lydia, Danny, and us that are not there yet, I am assuming.”_ John murmured.

“No, Alec actually was in the back taking a nap. Apparently it was Erica and Boyd’s turn to look after him during school, so he just came with them. Kind of glad he did, actually.” Stiles admitted. 

Alec’s ears perked up a bit at that, but then Jackson glowered at him and he went back to his sullen look. Apparently some if not most of the members of the pack were still uneasy about giving Alec any slack just yet. It might be several years before some would fully forgive the former Alpha for trying to force himself on Stiles. 

It was finally agreed about a week before that Alec would be under the pack’s total control until he either went away to college and joined a different ally pack with the stipulation he told the new pack of his misdeeds, or he mated with someone. Once a wolf mated, there was no going back. Also, being mated tended to force a creature into loving only that mate and no one else. There would be no way for Alec to try and sexually assault someone ever again should he get a mate.

And that mate would have to be first brought up to speed on everything, regardless if they were destined to be together or not. 

It was just a safer way to deal with things.

“My mom is still at the hospital, but she’s getting off in an hour or so. Do you guys mind picking her up and bringing her here? I don’t like the idea of her being home alone in case the power goes out. I mean, my mom’s tough, but she’s still human.” Scott asked, ignoring the shocked look coming from Stiles.

Apparently Scott was finally starting to think of himself as a Were. Stiles almost felt like hugging the Beta, but he ignored the impulse. 

_“Yea, it would be no problem.”_ John agreed, though he did mutter something to Peter that was so soft no one could hear what was being said. Regardless, it got the point across, for Peter hissed back, ,em >“I get it, paws off! Besides, why would I want a gorgeous human if I have you?”

“Oh my GOD, will you guys stop! Ugh, where is the mental bleach?” Stiles moaned softly, though he did snort out a laugh when he heard Peter let out a soft grunt of pain.

 _“Son, don’t make me start in on your excursions with Derek.”_ John stated very sweetly.

The pack started sharing laughs and wolf whistles, while Stiles looked at the phone as if it was offending him. Derek just snorted and rolled his eyes. 

“Well be safe regardless of nefarious opinions.” Stiles stated before hanging up. “Jesus, are we really that bad?” He asked no one in particular.

“Not as bad as Erica and Boyd, but yea, pretty bad.” Isaac admitted.

“Fuck my life.” Stiles muttered with a soft sulky sigh.

“Hey, don’t diss it. It means you get lucky, and often.” Boyd surprised everyone with that comment.

“Not our fault peeps are jealous.” Erica added with a grin.

For a long moment nothing was said, and then laughter was infectious throughout the members of the pack. Even Derek chuckled at that.


	36. Chapter 36: Lights Flickering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys for not posting on schedule like I have wanted to. I am finally starting to slowly get back into the swing of writing, and for those of you who didn't know, I had to put my kitty to rest a few weeks ago and the grief has been barring me from writing much. He was 14, and I am glad I had him with me for that long. He's no longer suffering, but it still doesn't make living without him any easier. Anyways, thanks for all of your support during this difficult time. :) I hope to be more current with my posts starting next week. Things are going to get more chaotic in the future since I am going through a bunch of stuff at my folks' place in preparation of me finally moving out next year in the spring. I have accumilated tons of stuff over the years - courtesy of being a pack rat, and it's taking me some time to go through everything. I hope to have the next chapter for Sink My Teeth Into You up by the weekend along with Madness. Otherwise, posting schedule will stay the same starting next week with Sink My Teeth Into You on Monday, June 16, Underneath on Tuesday, June 17, and Madness on Wednesday, June 18. Enjoy the chapter! Thanks again for all of your kudos and comments. Please keep them coming.

**Chapter 36: Lights Flickering**

Lydia yawned and watched as her friend continued to pace back and forth in her room, looking basically like a caged animal. “Allison, sweetie, maybe you should sit down for a bit instead of wearing holes into the carpet.”

Allison sighed sheepishly and offered a small smile to Lydia. She then finally sat down on the edge of Lydia’s bed, looking at all of the clothes her friend had recently bought from Macy’s which were piled high in the center. “Sorry, I am just on edge, I am not sure why.” She picked up a stylish pink ruffled shirt and fingered some of the frills.

Lydia nodded slowly as she started sorting the clothes for dry-cleaning. Hopefully the snow wouldn’t last long. Granted, Lydia enjoyed a snow day here and there because they were rare in Beacon Hills, but she never liked being cooped up at home for long. Her parents had never completely understood her. Her mom was the closest out of the two, but most days the best thing to do was ignore them and be ignored in return. 

At least Jackson’s adopted parents cared for him. Sometimes Lydia would get a bit jealous seeing happy loving families around town, but then she would buck it up and think of her action plan to be the best at everything. Now though, being a part of the pack had changed things. Oh, Lydia had no doubt that she was still going to go to a college of her choosing, and excel in everything she felt interested in. But, she felt more connected to Jackson than ever before. Perhaps it was due to being bitten and finally being told about the world of the supernatural.

It helped that Jackson was a Were Jackal, but there was still the fact that she had no clue why she had been immune to Peter’s bite. Lately she had been getting eerie feelings or bad vibes at night. Sometimes the feelings came during the day, but she managed to shake it all off. Still, it made her wonder if Peter’s bite actually did work in some odd way. Her first full moon had been totally boring, laying in a hospital bed waiting for visitors that hardly came by unless it was pack related. Once she’d found out everything, the presence of pack had made all kinds of sense. 

There had been no tug though on that full moon. No indescribable rage. Nothing. 

And at first Lydia had felt relief when her second full moon had come around without a fuss. But now she was starting to feel like the other shoe was going to drop pretty soon. The weird feelings were starting to be more intense. And at times Lydia would find herself staring into space for an indescribable amount of time. It was weird, and sometimes it would freak the girl out.

But, then Lydia would draw strength from the pack and move on, knowing that even if she was crazy, it was comforting to know that there were way more people out there crazier than her. Some of which were a part of the pack. Lydia regarded Allison for a moment and finally admitted, “I’d honestly rather be at the pack house. At least there we would have a bunch of buff creatures ready to defend our honor. Though we wouldn’t have to be defended, of course. And the eye candy is definitely something nice to think about.”

Allison laughed, knowing that Lydia was only putting up a shallow front because she was trying to make her feel better. It was nice to have a true friend that would try to cheer you up, even if they had no clue how to. Allison hadn’t been able to get close with any real friends due to moving around so much in the past. Lydia and Scott were definitely treasures. Even the rest of the pack were treating her a bit more kindly. Though some of them still didn’t trust her – with good reason, things were looking more optimistic.

She’d been able to talk to Scott today on Lydia’s phone, having to politely turn him down on the puppy giveaway. Allison would love to have a dog, but unfortunately with her family being so geared on fight or flight, it wouldn’t be a healthy environment for a puppy. Scott then admitted that the pups at the clinic would probably be adopted by the pack anyways and live with Derek and Stiles once things settled down a bit more.

Isaac had already named the two Spike and Bugsy, and was getting pretty attached to them, despite Deaton’s warnings.

At least the pups would be taken care of regardless of their new living quarters. 

“I wonder what Jackson would say to you ogling the pack boys.” Allison teased, putting the pink shirt down so she could help sort some jeans.

“He wouldn’t care.” Lydia smiled slowly and secretively. “Jealousy might be something Jackson would have done before I got bit. But now, he knows I accept him as who he really is, so he doesn’t sweat it. Plus, ogling pack boys isn’t a crime. Nor is it cheating. Look but not touch, that sort of thing.”

Allison rolled her eyes but kept her smile. “Must be nice having someone who is completely understanding as your counterpart.”

“Are you _kidding_ me? I never said Jackson was _perfect_.” Lydia protested with a pointed look, “He’s a total douchebag, but he’s getting better. As for understanding me… most guys don’t have a clue, Jackson included. But, he’s learning, and that’s what makes it all so much fun.”

“I bet.” Allison agreed.

The lights flickered, right about the same time Lydia’s phone buzzed. The girls regarded each other with wary eyes, before Lydia looked at her text. It was from Jackson.

_They are forecasting power outages now. Derek and Stiles are wanting everyone to come to the safe house if they can. Probably sooner rather than later. I know you might not be able to, and that’s fine. But, if anything happens, weather or no weather, we’ll be there as soon as possible._

Lydia smiled, feeling a sense of relief instead of outrage. Ever since being bitten she had started having deeper feelings for Jackson, especially when he got all protective of her. Before her run in with Peter, Lydia had mistaken most male acts of protectiveness as overbearingness and she in turn would cut them down to size. She was happily independent and made sure to let everyone with half a brain know that. Now, Lydia understood Jackson’s protectiveness was a sign that he cared about her, and not some instinctual macho guy tendency to cow his girlfriend. So, instead of sending a nasty text back to her boyfriend, she sent a simple, _Will do. Besides. You guys keep safe too._

The pack was still wary of getting Allison included in activities, so if Derek and Stiles had made the decision to extend aid offerings, even to encompass her by moving them both to the safe house, then that was total progress.

“So when are you heading to your aunt’s again?” Lydia asked, keeping the conversation light.

Allison scowled though she tried to offer a smile. It didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Two weeks from tomorrow.”

“You aren’t looking forward to it.” Lydia didn’t even pose it as a question, more along the lines of a statement.

“No. I know I should be glad to see Aunt Mae, but I really feel the need to be here.” Allison huffed, “My dad seems to think keeping me away from all the action will keep my grandfather from planting evil seeds into my mind.”

“Yea, well at least he cares.” Lydia pointed out. “If my folks sent me away it would because they are tired of me, not because they care. Why do you think they don’t protest when I spend several nights in a row over at Jackson’s?”

Allison would have protested, but then quieted when Lydia gave her a glower that could cower a bear. Whenever Lydia got on sensitive subjects she was incredible stubborn in her opinions. Then again, so was Allison. Maybe that’s why they got along so well together.

\------------------------------------------------------

“I don’t like Lydia being solo out there, even if she is with Allison.” Stiles mumbled softly as he chewed on his lower lip. The lights were starting to flicker, and he was worried.

If the storm was indeed caused by some supernatural bad guy, then the Alpha wanted the pack to be together so they could lock down the hatches and face them on a united front. It wasn’t that Stiles worried that Lydia and Allison couldn’t take care of themselves, but he just felt uneasy that they were deciding to stay away unless absolutely necessary.

“Lydia’s a viper. And a trooper, so she should be fine.” Danny pointed out, finally arriving covered in a blanket of snow. He’d almost gotten stuck on the old Preserve beaten path, but had gotten help from the Sheriff and Peter. It was sort of ironic, if not a blessing that the two had managed to pick up Melissa and still arrived about the same time as Danny.

“Plus, I don’t think Gerard would be able to do something like the storm out there.” Derek added shrewdly. He leaned onto his elbows near Stiles as they both sat at the kitchen counter on bar stools. “He might be able to commission someone to do this though.”

“Highly unlikely, but Gerard can be pretty persuasive, if not cunning.” John commented as he passed by, dropping his glamour as he did so.

Peter yawned and headed for the counter, sitting down at least ten boxes of pizza. Always mindful of hungry Weres or humans alike in the pack, John went ahead and picked up pizza on the way over too. And apparently with good timing, for the Pizza Hut nearby was closing down at seven due to the snow. 

Even if the snow hadn’t been a problem with being shoveled, it still weighed heavily on power lines. Somehow cold – uncooked pizzas weren’t as appealing as roasty toasty ones were. Even to a pack of Weres, the only pizza ok cold was Papa Mama’s pizza.

Stiles and the rest of the pack nearly drooled out of their heads when they saw the pizza. They were just starting to argue over what to cook. Stiles had pondered cooking chicken noodle soup, since it was cold outside and Boyd was fighting off a nasty cold, but then Jackson had pointed out the fact that the power might not last long, and though they had backup generators, it would still mess things up.

Stiles had then snarked back that there was something called a ‘hot plate’, or even a ‘fire place’ that could remedy the situation. Jackson had looked miffed, and it boiled down to it that the Jackal absolutely hated soup. Any kind of soup. Stew was ok, but regular canned soup was disgusting in his mind.

Peter handed out pizza by the plate, if not by the actual counting of pieces. There were several different kinds of pizzas, though not many of the pack were all that picky. Pizzas consisted of one pepperoni, one cheese, one super supreme with extra green peppers, one Canadian Bacon with pineapple, one veggie, one meat lovers, one Blake’s Smokehouse BBQ, one Honey BBQ Chicken, one Hawaiian BBQ, and one regular supreme. Stiles stuck with pepperoni and cheese, though he did glower at his dad every now and then when the older Elf opted for the Honey BBQ Chicken pizza instead of the veggie. But, then his eyes softened and he let up. Especially when Peter handed his dad a small bowl of salad.

That was a bit weird, seeing Peter give John more healthy food choices. It almost made Stiles feel like he was being replaced. But, then he felt Derek’s gentle rubbing hand on his back and he let it go. His dad needed someone to make him happy, and if it had to be someone as crazy as Peter, then oh well. Stiles looked over at Derek as he managed to make devouring his super supreme pizza slice look sexy as hell.

Fuck.

Stiles let out a deep sigh and tried to concentrate on something else other than food porn with Derek. Now was not the time for sexy thoughts, even if he was a fuckin’ teenage boy with enough arousal hormones to choke a dolphin. The lights flickered a bit, and the whole pack scowled. Alec piped up with his first good suggestion of the evening, “We might want to scramble for showers before the power goes out.”

“Good idea. Though the backup generators will be able to heat the whole house, no use trying to strain it by forcing the water heater to go overtime. I figure two showers at a time should be ok with fifteen minute intervals in between duos so that the hot water doesn’t go out.” John nodded seriously.

Peter blinked over at John and asked hesitantly, “you meant two separately correct?”

John narrowed his eyes at Peter, and suddenly Stiles and half the pack wanted to bleach their eyes and their brains. Scott felt Isaac’s curious eyes on him and he blushed redder than a tomato. Erica rolled her eyes and grabbed a hold of Boyd, tugging him to their bedroom and adjoining bathroom, throwing over her shoulder, “It would be less of a water bill if couples could take a shower together. Thanks for the idea Peter!”

Stiles all but gaped at the retreating duo and then he rubbed his eyes. “Never thought I would see the day where Erica agreed with anyone, much less Peter.”

“Hey, I will have you know that I do have some good points.” Peter pointed out with a fake innocent expression. “I usually hide them but they do tend to slip out when least expected.”

“Otherwise I wouldn’t have accepted being your dominate.” John stated with a blink.

Stiles nearly spewed his Mt. Dew all over the place at that comment. “Oh my god, Dad, really?”

“What? I didn’t say anything bad. Elves usually take being dominates and submissives very seriously.” John said, his voice total deadpan.

Stiles rubbed his eyes and whined, “But I so do not need this mental picture.”

“Same goes for you son. Maybe the next time you decide to grope Derek in public when you think the pack’s not watching might be good to issue discretion. We don’t want to see it. Or at least I don’t want to see it.” John pointed out sweetly.

“I’ve been had! And I haven’t groped Derek in quite a while in public!” Stiles protested, flushing hotly.

Derek started chuckling, but what made the whole pack laugh was when Scott up and piped up, “I plead the fifth! I am going to go with bro code and say that I have not seen Stiles grope Derek in public in a while.”

“You were spying on me?!” Stiles asked, scandalized.

“Kind of hard not to when you guys leave the door open to your bedroom.” Isaac added with a blush.

“ _OH MY GOD!_ ” Stiles hollered, and then the Alpha up and smacked his mate upside the head. “Dude, you are in charge of closing and locking doors!”

“As if you didn’t _notice_ , Stiles, I was a bit tad preoccupied at the time.” Derek stated with a full pointed grin.

“Ok, where is the fucking brain bleach?” Cora muttered. “There are some things I totally do not want to know about my brother, and that is one of them!”

Alec whined, “I totally need aspirin.”

“Why, your headache come back?” Cora asked, curious.

“No, I need it to keep me from barfing over all of the TMI crap.” Alec admitted pointedly.

“Dude, why would you need aspirin? Why don’t you take Pepto Bismal?” Scott asked, blinking.

“Because that actually does the opposite with me. It helps bring the barf along.” Alec answered. “Aspirin helps take care of some of my nausea.”

“Ok now who needs to be schooled in TMI?” Cora narrowed her eyes.

“Ah, the life of pack.” Peter murmured with a small smile.

“Tche, call it what you like. I call it 'chaos of raising teenagers', barring Derek.” John commented, taking a small sip of whiskey. Every once in a while situations called for specialist equipment. And this was one of those times. So, bottom down the hatch… he just had to make sure he didn’t drink to excess tonight - or any night while being around Peter.


	37. Chapter 37: Developments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I am SO sorry for not posting on a regular schedule the past month or so! I have been so busy, but things are finally starting to calm down. I even have some vacation time coming up in August, so I will try to get caught up with all of my stories during that time. So, if the posting schedule is still a bit out of whack until then, please accept my sincere and deepest apologies. Thank you so much for not giving up on me and sticking with this fic! I appreciate it, so please keep the reviews and kudos coming. :) I hope to post an update soon.

**Chapter 37: Developments**

Uriel sat down with a hot mug of cider, looking around the pub nonchalantly as he did so. Beacon Hills might be under a massive supernatural snow storm, but here in the parallel Elven town of Bethel, all was calm except for an occasional rain shower. Bethel wasn’t far from Beacon Hills, only being about ten miles to the southwest, and it bordered the central eastern Elven outpost for the Royal Guard. Where humans thought was the Pacific Ocean actually paralleled the alternate world’s biggest Elven continent, called Marthelia.  
Caleb sighed, now in his human form, sitting down next to his master and friend, carrying an equally sized mug filled to the brim with cider. Most Elves didn’t cater much to the human world, but they did on occasion adapt to some of their more nature based recipes. Apple cider was a huge hit, though most Elves or fey creatures took it with sweet flower nectar to give it a bit more of a kick.

Uriel and Caleb didn’t much care to get flat out drunk or inebriated in any sort of the term tonight. They were planning on staying the night at the pub, and in the morning pick up supplies so they could check in with the Elven outpost and be on their way. They did this once a month anyways, so it wasn’t like anything was different this time around, even if they were stopping by to check in a bit earlier than usual this month. Most of the townsfolk let them be, recognizing the dress and red eyes of a dark elf, if not one from the Sentinel class of the Royal Guard. And even if they didn’t catch the somber expression coming off of Uriel, they definitely stayed away from his companion.

Caleb might be viewed as a human underwear model for Calvin & Kline to the normal human world, having nice musculature and the ruggedly handsome looks, wavy black hair, all down to his black goatee, but he stood out like a sore thumb here in a mostly fey town. And though he was still quite stunning to behold, the man had a wicked looking scar that marred part of his face, running from the right side of his brow, down past his eye and cheekbones, jaw, and neck to disappear into his dark brown attire. The scar narrowly missed his eye, and Caleb counted himself lucky that it did. 

Uriel surveyed his burly companion and noted the worried sea green gaze that flitted this way and that, taking stock of the people surrounding them. Caleb might stick out like a sore thumb, but it didn’t help that the Werewolf was wary around anyone, fey or not fey. But the poor Hellhound had just cause to be leery of people regardless of gender or species. 

When Deucalion had started creating his own Alpha pack, Caleb’s pack had been one of the first to have been hit. Caleb barely escaped with his life. None of his pack survived, despite Caleb’s fierce devotion to them. He’d done what he could, even trying to sacrifice his life for them, and Deucalion had cunningly used it all against him. The betrayal of the human pack members had been terrible, but what had nearly broken Caleb was when Deucalion started using the cubs. 

Even to this day, seven years later, Uriel hadn’t been told the whole story. And nor did he ever feel the need to press Caleb about it. Whether it be a year or several centuries before Caleb told him the story, Uriel didn’t feel that it mattered. _‘A century is a mere blink of an eye in the life of an elf. I am patient. I can wait.’_ King Thranduil’s words spoken so sarcastically in _The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug_ was all too true in this case. But, then again, if Caleb kept his secrets to the grave, that was ok with Uriel. 

Uriel felt that everyone should be entitled to some of their own secrets. Hell, he had his own secrets buried deep in the back of his psyche, and there was no way in Satan’s ass crack that he was going to reveal any of that. 

A young faerie waitress came by and delivered their food, which was a bit bland, but nutritious. Caleb sniffed at the cheese on his plate and scowled as the waitress left to go refill their mugs of cider. “I swear, every month she gives us the same white cheese even if we asked for cheddar.”

“It’s white cheddar.” Uriel said with a soft smile, digging into his food regardless of the smell. “And what can you expect from a pub? Gourmet?”

Caleb was a bit particular about food, especially when it came down to cheese. Before life had dealt the Werewolf shit in a hand basket, the former Alpha’s entire family had owned and operated a gourmet restaurant that doubled as a small casino in Las Vegas. The food at Perfections was exquisite, and people came for miles to eat there. And if they left most of their pocket book out in the various slot machines or on the poker tables, then at least their stomachs were full with good food and good wine when they did. Most bouncers had an easy job at Perfections, considering it was the food that most people came for, not necessarily the gambling. 

Caleb glowered at Uriel and muttered something about the fact that white cheddar shouldn’t even be categorized as cheddar. But, then he droned off after a while and sighed, managing to scarf down the cheese and bread without much more fuss. The best thing the pub was known for was the stew, and Caleb made sure to eat it while it was hot. Cold stew, no matter how well prepared, tasted like shit.

Uriel stretched and yawned, showing a bit of fang as he did so. 

“How long do you think the Beacon Hills has before they all freeze to death?” Caleb grew serious and furrowed his eyebrows.

Uriel thought for a long moment and shrugged, “It depends on the power of the being we are looking for. I gather the power lines will freeze and break overnight due to tree limbs falling or the wind. People will be able to survive with wood fires and generators for another forty eight hours before something will have to be done. We don’t have much time, but I figure the less people out and about in the blizzard, the better. The pack is safe enough where it is for now. It might give us enough time to rest up, gather provisions and head back out there.”

“And what of the human hunter and Banshee of the pack? They were not there when we left.” Caleb pointed out, taking a moment to sop up some of the broth of his stew with a chunk of bread.

“They will be able to hold out for a while. If push comes to shove, the pack might send out a few Weres to go get them, but I don’t see them as being threatened. Even from the Alpha pack.” Uriel commented, taking care not to say Deucalion’s name.

The mention of the Alpha pack still got a soft angry growl out of Caleb regardless, but he calmed himself as some Elves nearby took notice. He then quested, “And what of Gerard and his thugs?”

“If Gerard is indeed a part of this scheme, I doubt he himself will be out and about in that weather. The last time I spotted him in town, I noted he definitely was still human. Unless he turned into a Yeti or an Abominable Snow Man, I doubt he will be doing much besides sitting in the Argent house with a warm fire to keep his feet warm, while playing the waiting game. He always was a person who liked making examples of people to instill fear into his subjects, but as for enacting out his plans by himself… he usually just lets his subjects do it for him.” Uriel said with a small grim smile.

Caleb grunted and had a thought. “Will the teacher make her move, do you think?”

“No. She still has to get more power. Even she wouldn’t be able to cause a storm like this. It’s much too strong for her, but we might want to keep better tabs on her for the future. I commend her for going after the Alpha pack, but her way is incredibly risky and utterly stupid. Sacrifices should not be played around with.” Uriel mused softly.

Caleb nodded and they quieted, each pondering possibilities of who was behind the blizzard.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles and Derek poured over a map of the Preserve, wondering where the nexus of the actual storm was located. Both Alphas looked exhausted, and Stiles looked like he was about ready to pull his hair out, regardless if it grew back in like five seconds. Derek had some serious bags under his eyes as well. The two basically looked like they were about to keel over any second.

John and Peter fared no better, pouring over a few stacks of unsolved cases in relation to the Argents. Scott and Jackson stomped their feet as they came back inside from scouting the nearby area. The snow was still billowing outside, and from the weather reports, it was only going to get worse. They pack had been taking turns all night, or at least those of them that could stand the bitter cold. The humans stayed inside, resting or helping out with fixing hot mugs of coffee or tea, depending on the person. Melissa was also in the process of making a mean breakfast of sausage and egg biscuits, considering the power luckily was still holding. 

John tiredly rubbed his eyes and noted the time and stood to get some feeling back in his legs. Elf or no Elf, John was starting to feel his bones ache from being in one place too damn long. Peter paid him no mind, but he did offer thanks when John handed him a hot cup of strong espresso. 

Scott and Jackson headed over to the coat closet to peel off their light jackets, beanies, and boots, all the while sniffing around to make sure the pack was still safe and sound inside. Finally Scott offered to Derek and Stiles, “Coast is clear on the west side of the Preserve. From what we could tell, it looks about the same as the last section of woods. Everything’s eerily quiet though. There weren’t any birds or any sign of life out there.”

“Makes sense. Blizzards usually keep most animals in their holes or dens. Bolting down the hatches and waiting until the crazy weather is over, I imagine.” Derek nodded as he rubbed his day old scruff. Out of the whole pack, only a few hadn’t taken showers yet, Stiles and himself included.

“Ok, you boys need to take a shower and take a nap.” Melissa suddenly clapped her hands to get the two Alphas’ attentions. “You guys are making me feel like I’ve been the one up all night. Now shoo. We will save you some leftovers.”

Both Weres blinked up at the feisty Mama McCall and didn’t question her decision. She might not be an Alpha, but when Melissa told a person to do something, they did it. Stiles grumbled a bit, but after seeing a dark look from Scott’s mom, he shut up and followed his mate to their upstairs room. 

“Thank you. Those two will think better with fresh heads when they get up.” John commented with a small smile.

“Yea well, you two don’t look so good either. But, I figure you both can manage for a bit longer.” Melissa smiled back in jest. 

“More like you know I won’t listen even if you tried to get me to quit for a while.” John pointed out with a tired snort.

Peter rolled his eyes and went to sift through some more papers. Scott and Jackson dried themselves off by the fireplace, anxiously watching the weather news while they still had it. Alec was cuddled up in a sleeping bag near the fire place, not wanting to be away from any of the action, but still sleepy from staying up half the night playing video games with Boyd and Erica. Who knew that those two were such pros at Grand Theft Auto?

Erica sauntered into the living room followed by Isaac so they could grab some layers and head out in the snow. They were taking over for Scott and Jackson. Boyd flopped down in one of the huge sofas, snatching up the remote just in case he had to flip through commercials. Melissa came by offering hot chocolate for the teens every once in a while, but Scott felt a bit guilty about having his mom servicing them so much that he went to go help her at least with dishing out breakfast and lunch. Danny eventually joined the group, yawning hugely as he sat down next to Jackson. 

Erica and Isaac left, easily making quick work at shoveling the snow at least near the door. They really couldn’t do much about the drive way itself until the snow let up a bit, if it ever did. But, at least they would be able to have the porch and steps all cleared off. Afterwards they headed to the north side of the Preserve. It was a bit bigger of a territory to cover, but Isaac was quick on his feet, and Erica was nothing if not resilient.

Cora eventually came downstairs and helped with cleaning up the dishes from lunch. It was then that Peter and John finally decided to give up on the file stacks for a few hours. They headed up to take a shower, and hopefully hop into bed for a few much needed “z’s”. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Stiles yawned tiredly as he and Derek washed themselves off. He felt like he totally should be turned on by Derek’s amazing physique, but he was so damned tired, that nothing sounded heavenly like a warm bed and pillow. Derek seemed to be feeling the same way, but he did rake his gaze over his mate a few times to make sure he was at least doing ok. 

Stiles blinked at Derek and uttered, “I’m fine.”

At Derek’s narrowed pointed look, he yawned again and stated with irritableness, “Seriously, I am fine. Just tired. I need sleep. God I could sleep for a year, I am so tired.”  
“Who’s fault was that?” Derek snorted before he leaned in to sniff at Stiles’ neck a bit. He pulled away and got a puzzled look on his face.

“What is it?” Stiles blinked a few times, and after a moment of silence, he let out the loudest sneeze he’d ever heard. 

“Oh my god, that hurt.” Stiles pouted, rubbing his nose. “Shit, I so don’t want a cold.”

“Cyger’s aren’t supposed to get colds. Or any _Were_ for that matter.” Derek commented softly, his hazel eyes turning worried.

“Yea well, I probably got what Boyd has.” Stiles muttered, sneezing again. “I could have gotten some allergic reaction or something I don’t know about due to my Elf heritage too.”

Derek didn’t look convinced. In fact he looked more worried. Finally he put on a determined bitch face and set about drying off his mate with a huge fluffy towel and putting him to bed. What he had said to Stiles had been the truth. Weres weren’t supposed to get sick, and Stiles hadn’t gotten sick since he’d been turned from what Derek had been told. And though Stiles’ comment about his Elf heritage made sense, it didn’t boil down to the fact that Elves weren’t supposed to get sick either. Or at least that’s what he’d assumed from listening to Stiles read enough of those Elvish books.

Derek curled up on top of Stiles and cuddled so that the boy was completely covered by his body. Stiles yawned a few times before he let out a soft sneeze. Derek handed him a few tissues from the nightstand next to the bed, and then started nuzzling Stile’s neck. Stiles sighed softly and mumbled, “Big old mama bear.”

Derek nipped at Stiles in retaliation before he soothed the nip with his tongue. The wolf then admitted, “With you, I have to be.”

“Mmmm… so tired… so warm.” Stiles muttered softly before he fell asleep.

Derek watched his mate sleep for a few more minutes before he too fell into an exhaustive sleep. The house pack noise went down to a dull throb in the back of his mind, but it felt comforting to know that they were safe and warm. Erica and Isaac were farther off, and Lydia and Allison farther still, but he could sense that all was right in the pack, for now at least.

So he was content to sleep, cuddled around his mate, and hoping that the much needed rest would boost Stiles’ immune system.


	38. Blackout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I am truly sorry for not updating in quite a very long time. However, things are FINALLY settling down for me, so yes, I am back at it! I will respond to all of your reviews up until now, but it might take some time to get to all of them. I am astounded by how so many of you stuck it out with me up until now. I greatly appreciate it. :) And without further ado, here is Chapter 38.

**Chapter 38: Blackout**

“Stiles.”

“Mflgh…..” Stiles tried. He really did. But he was _comfy_ , and blessedly warm. He really didn’t have to open his eyes did he?

“Come on, Stiles. Don’t make me dump you outside the window into the snow.” John rolled his eyes and would have put his hands on his hips in exasperation if it weren’t for the fact that his hands were laden down with a mug of cocoa – the kind with extra marshmallows, a bowl of questionable smelling broth, and crackers.

Derek nudged Stiles a bit and finally got the boy to open his eyes. Stiles blinked a few times stupidly before everything came into focus. Sniffing the air a bit curiously in the direction of the soup made him almost wish he hadn’t. “Oh my **god** … that stuff smells like shit.” He muttered groggily.

Ugh, why did his mouth feel like cardboard? How long had he been asleep even? All these muddled thoughts ran smashing through his head like a bull in a china shop. “Fuck my head.” He moaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Migraines sucked.

“Uh huh, I was afraid of that.” John sighed and handed Derek the bowl of broth and mug of hot cocoa. He figured the Alpha might have better luck in administering the goods to his son. 

“Afraid of what?” Stiles asked groggily, still trying to keep his head from exploding.

“Migraine?” 

“Big one.” Stiles swallowed a few times before he added pointedly, “Make that _astronomical_. As in the biggest cranial nightmare known to cat.”

Derek wisely handed Stiles the bowl of broth before the cocoa. If Stiles was anything like most teens his age, then any kind of medicine was best suffered through first before getting to the good part. That’s one of the reasons why Derek usually munched on his veggies – if he had any – first before digging into the rest of a meal - because the same thing applied.

“Well at least your fever finally broke.” The older Elf offered optimistically. But, then his tone turned sour and sarcastic, “Derek was about ready to go blazing out into the blizzard - regardless of the fact that it’s now three feet deep in places, and hunt down the idiot lunatic causing this whole fiasco.” 

“How long was I asleep? And no way in hell I’d let him outside in this weather!” Stiles grumpily glowered at his mate, who was trying really hard not to smirk. Instead, Derek just raised his eyebrows and stated plainly, “I doubt you would have been in any shape or form to try, Stiles, since you were asleep for two days straight. But, don’t worry, the whole pack decided against me doing that. So, see? I am still here.”

“Tell me you didn’t tie him up or something?” Stiles asked his dad, who was trying and failing not to grin wryly at the boys’ antics.

“Tie him up? Whatever for?” John raised his eyebrows innocently. “Why put out all that effort when it’s just easier to use some mountain ash on the windows and near the door to this room?”

Derek huffed a bit when Stiles snickered. He pointedly looked from the broth in Stiles’ hands and muttered, “Just shut up and eat already.”

Stiles scowled at the broth and wrinkled his nose. “Smells nasty.”

“It wouldn’t be medicine if it smelled like petunias, now would it?” John crossed his arms over his chest.

After a few minutes of both older males staring Stiles down, he finally rolled his eyes and started sipping the crap. Strangely enough, the more he sipped, the better he felt. “Ok, this stuff might smell like shit, but it’s helping a great deal. Do I even want to know what’s in it?”

“Only you would wonder what is in broth after you start sipping it.” Derek chided his mate gently.

“No, you don’t want to know.” John said sweetly before he told Derek, “Make sure he sips every drop. It’ll help with the headache as well as everything else.”

Derek nodded and watched as the older Stilinski turned to leave the room. Stiles stopped him before he reached the door, however, with a question, “Dad… why did I get sick?”

“Someone was draining your magic.” John said softly. “No matter, the mountain ash acted as a barrier to whatever it is, so you started getting better. Once you are fully recovered, we can talk more about a game plan.”

Stiles breathed out a huge breath. “Wow….”

John left the room, making sure to ward the mountain ash to now allow pack members of the furry kind the ability to go into the room if needed, and headed downstairs to brief the pack on Stiles’ recovery. Since Derek and Stiles’ door still had the privacy spell on it, no one in the pack would have been able to hear the conversation. 

“Now you know why I wanted to go after the asshole that caused the storm.” Derek pointed out grimly. 

The past few days had been hell. Total, and unrelenting hell. Seeing Stiles suffering while nothing he did helped, it hadn’t been an enjoyable experience. He hated not being able to do anything. Dealing with the helplessness drove him nearly mad. 

Stiles didn’t like the sad forlorn look on his mate’s face. So after he downed the rest of the disgusting broth, he offered his hot chocolate to Derek. “Take it. It has extra marshmallowy goodness in it.”

Derek softened a bit and shook his head. “You need it more than I do.”

“Your loss.” Stiles wrinkled his nose at the Alpha.

After the chocolate was consumed and the dishes were put on the nightstand, Derek helped Stiles to the bathroom. While Stiles was wobbly taking a shower and doing some other habitual routine, Derek changed the sheets and blankets on the bed. Regardless if Stiles couldn’t get Derek sick, he’d probably appreciate the feel and smell of fresh bedding.

Turns out he was right. 

Once Stiles got out of the bathroom, clean and wearing some soft boxers, he saw the bed and promptly flopped onto it, moaning a bit at the smell and feel of the fresh bedding. Derek got into bed with Stiles and proceeded to scent the hell out of his mate’s neck. Stiles purred softly in contentment, and Derek finally murmured, though he knew he probably didn’t have to say it, “I can’t go back Stiles.”

Stiles was quiet for a moment before he looked over his shoulder and pecked his mate on the lips. “I know. I’m sorry I scared you. Unintentional of course, but I am still sorry.”

Derek’s eyes were vulnerable darkened hazel as he said, “I just wanted to make sure you knew. If you ever doubt anything, don’t doubt how much I love you. Or need you.”

Stiles would have normally came back with something snarky to lighten the mood a bit, but he knew Derek was being dead serious. 

And it nearly broke his heart.

So, instead and just turned over into Derek’s embrace and hugged him back. 

Sometimes words weren’t necessary.

After a few minutes however, Stiles broke the silence, “So, you essentially mean you worship the ground I walk on?”

Derek let out a rumbling chuckle and kissed the boy on his nose. “Yep, I guess it does.”

“That’s a very good thing.” Stiles mumbled with a small smile. He snuggled more with his boyfriend and murmured, “In spite of the risk of sounding cliché and corny, but, I feel the same way about you.”

“Stiles….” Derek sighed tiredly.

“What? Too corny?” Stiles asked with a huge yawn.

“No, not too corny. Just… sleep. Or be quiet so I can sleep.” Derek mumbled.

Stiles blinked, “Oh ok. Zipping lips now, I promise.”

\--------------------------------------------------------

After the pack sans Jackson and Isaac was brought up to speed on what was going on with Stiles, Scott insisted – more like demanded, to go see him. John looked at the Beta who was looking relieved, but still worried, and decided what the hell. He nodded and waved him by, though he did tell him to make sure to not wake the Alphas up. Both needed their rest.

“I won’t wake them. I promise.” Scott said with a small smile. “Just, he’s my best friend and….”

“Yea, I get it.” John nodded with a sigh.

The rest of the pack resumed their various duties, and when Jackson and Isaac returned from their patrol, Erika told them the news. John and Peter took a turn outside soon after. The snow had finally stopped, but there was a harsh bitter arctic wind making the snow pile up in massive drifts. Still, the clouds were moving away from Beacon Hills for the night. Whether that was a positive sign or not was not known at that time. John was just glad to finally see the stars.

The slender Elf paused to look up at the night sky for a short moment before turning back to the safe house. All was quiet besides the wind. It was a bit eerie but also beautiful to listen to.

Peter huffed out a short breath and muttered, “I don’t like the silence despite the wind. It’s too deafening.”

“I agree, but it’ll change soon.” John said with a grim smile. “We might have gotten a reprieve from the storm, but I doubt the creature or person behind it is done yet.”

Peter nodded slowly, “I agree. He or she is probably just getting the party started.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------

When Stiles woke again, he was blanketed by not just Derek, but with the whole pack besides Peter, Melissa, and John. Blinking his eyes slowly, he noted that only one besides himself were awake. Scott goofily flashed him a smile before he whispered, “Hey, how do you feel?”

Stiles stretched a bit – or as much as he could with a bunch of slumbering packmates practically on top of him. He then nodded slowly and smiled back, “Much better.”

“And the headache?” Scott pressed, reaching out a bit to grip his best buddy on the arm. When nothing happened he smiled more in relief.

“Yea it is but, um… what’s the deal?” Stiles blinked at Scott’s hand. Not that he minded Scott touching him, but his buddy was acting a bit weird.

Scott removed his hand and shrugged, “Learned it from Deaton a bit ago at the clinic. Apparently werewolves can take on some of the pain of others and therefore lessen the burden. It’s not really healing, but it helps keep pain manageable for animals or people to recover if they are sick or hurt.”

“That is so cool!” Stiles kept his voice low, though it was hard to keep his heartbeat from fluctuating wildly in excitement. 

The end result was Derek letting out a loud yawn as he stretched. The Alpha stretched so much his bones almost creaked. Still, it felt good and after he got a whiff of Stiles’ scent, was well worth the effort. Looks like things were getting back to normal. Stiles watched his mate flex those awesome muscles and almost wished he was alone with Derek so he could sample some of those contours. Seriously, how could anyone be so fucking gorgeous?

“Stiles, stop wallowing in the gutter so I can give you a proper hug.” Erika wrinkled her nose and proceeded to untangle herself from the pile so she could look at the Alpha. “Not that I blame you. Derek oozes sexual energy like no other.”

“Haha, very funny, Erika.” Stiles snorted. “Paws off the goods unless you want me to get all growly.”

Erika laughed and gave the teen a hug, nearly squashing Scott’s face with her boobs in the process. Derek rolled his eyes at the girl’s antics, but decided to nudge the rest of the slumbering pack awake. It was useless now trying to catch anymore sleep. 

After being glomped several times by the pack, everyone got up and left the Alpha pair alone. Stiles was smiling goofily at the door before Derek nudged him a bit, breaking the teen out of his pack sniffing highness. He looked at the older Alpha and caught the male giving him a predatory hungry look. Letting out a startled meep, Stiles got himself tangled in the sheets and fell out of the bed, causing Derek to rumble out a laugh.

Derek peered over the side of the bed, his hair looking sleep wrecked and a bit scruffy, but still grinning adorably. 

Despite being an agile Elven hybrid, Stiles still had managed to fall flat on his face, with his ass sticking up, his limbs in a tangled heap. The boy righted himself and flicked his mate on the nose with a scowl, “So not funny.”

“Sure it wasn’t.” Derek teased before he reached out and dragged the other male back into bed so he could kiss him senseless.

God, it had only been a few days, but he so had missed this.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Trying to leave the room – besides the bathroom, was hell on Earth for Stiles. Every time he stepped outside the mountain ash line, his powers plummeted, and he started feeling like shit again. It sucked that he was stuck in his room until they found out a more permanent solution to the problem. So, the pack met up again in Stiles and Derek’s room to converse and brainstorm ideas, this time sans Cora and Erika, who were on patrol duty now. 

During that time it was good to get Stiles up to speed with what had happened while he’d been out of commission. Allison and Lydia were still safe, and from what the latter had told Scott was that Gerard wasn’t doing much besides annoying the entire Argent household with his talks about the good old days.

That sucked. Stiles felt bad for Allison and Lydia having to deal with the fossilized manipulative storytime sessions. But, there wasn’t much he could do about it, besides help come up with a solution, or a plan to go hunt down the fucker who kept messing with his and mother nature’s mojo.

“Dad, why did my wards around the house fail?” Stiles had been wondering about that ever since he’d found out his power had been drained. “The wards were supposed to keep out all threats, or at least let us have a warning if there was a threat.”

John rubbed his chin thoughtfully before replying, “My guess is because whatever being that is doing all this is stronger or found a way around the wards. Highly unlikely as it sounds, we could be dealing with something very old and very strong, so it might be why the mountain ash prevented the drain.” He looked at Alec for confirmation and the boy slowly nodded, “Sounds feasible.”

“What do you mean?” Melissa asked curiously.

“He means that mountain ash is from a pure source and is probably older than the being we are dealing with. Pure sources always deflect the supernatural better, especially if it’s coming from an evil source.” Peter supplied.

“Well, if mountain ash repels it, what if we try putting mountain ash around the whole house? We have enough stock of it.” Scott suggested.

“That could work if it weren’t for the fact that the ash might get disturbed by wind every time we come inside or go outside to patrol.” Jackson huffed, moodily crossing his arms over his chest. “No matter how careful we are, there’s bound to be a problem keeping the line untouched.”

“Jackson’s right.” John thought for a moment. 

“Wait a second…. Dad, you did something to the mountain ash to make it pack passible right?” Stiles thought for a moment, suddenly coming up with an idea. He wasn’t sure it would work, but why not try it anyway? He was going to go stir crazy if he couldn’t at least go downstairs.

“Yes, I changed the ward composition. Why?” John asked with an arched brow.

“Despite feeling like this is an episode from Harry Potter, is there a way to maybe put a sticky charm or something onto the ash?” Stiles asked, chewing his bottom lip in thought.

“No, unfortunately there are too many variables that could happen to disrupt the ash, regardless of how many – and I am talking hundreds – sticky charms we put onto the ash.” John sighed.

Alec put in, “Nor could you or anyone of us change the wards to resist wind. It’d be like resisting all air, so we’d run out of breathable air pretty soon.”

“However….” John suddenly smiled evilly, causing everyone to eye him a bit weirdly. 

“What’s with the Cheshire cat grin?” Melissa asked with an arched brow.

“Oh it just means that Mr. Stilinski has a brilliant plan.” Danny said with a small smile. 

Boyd snorted, “I was hoping that’s what it meant.”

“Mmmm if I can find the item I need.” John mused. “Wait here, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

The pack waited while John headed to his room he shared with Peter. He pulled his big duffel out from underneath the bed and started searching it’s contents. When he returned, Isaac was telling Scott that he wished they knew what they were dealing with. That way at least they could do research and find out what weaknesses the entity had.

“That’s actually not a bad idea, Isaac.” Derek patted the boy on the back lightly, causing him to beam at the praise. “Stiles, when the meeting is over, maybe you can help me look at my family’s bestiary and see what matches with creatures that can manipulate weather and drain energy. It’s in Latin so we’ll have to use your computer to help decipher it.”

“You just want me for my mad skills!” Stiles whined jokingly before he caught Derek’s resigned eyeroll and sobered, “It’s fine. Don’t get all sourwolfy on me.”

“Sourwolf, that’s a good one.” Scott murmured dryly. “I’ll have to remember that.”

“If I catch you calling me that, you’ll experience excruciating pain.” Derek grumbled, making his bitch face look stoic enough to give Grumpy Cat a run for her money. There wasn’t much he could do about Stiles calling him that, but there was no way in hell he was letting the rest of the pack call him that.

John coughed to draw attention on to him. He smiled triumphantly, “I found it.”

“Found what?” Stiles asked curiously. “A booby trap or some cool superhero weapon?”

“Mmm, if you call a medallion a weapon. Then again, we are using it sort of as a weapon, so I guess it’ll do the trick. Now to see if it actually works.” He presented a strange platinum disked medallion with an etched image of a tree with long roots in the middle. The medallion dangled from soft but strong cords that formed a long necklace. "If it does, then you should get quite the power boost after you cross the threshold." 

“Woa….” Stiles gaped, making grabby hands at the shiny medallion.

Derek balked slightly at the silver color of the metal, but after John explaining that it was platinum, he relaxed. He watched his mate put it around his neck and struggle with the tie before he offered to help. After tying the cords together at Stiles’ nape, the medallion lay resting just below the Alpha’s sternum. 

“Try walking out of the room and let me know if you still feel a drain.” John suggested, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Hope this works.” Jackson muttered to Danny, and his friend nodded. “It would suck to be stuck in one room forever.”

“Who said anything about forever?” Scott rolled his eyes. “We’d be able to hunt the creature or person who is doing all this.”

“Yea but it’d be slower without Stiles being out there helping.” Jackson admitted.

The group quieted as Stiles got up and padded to the doorway. With a deep bated breath, he walked over the threshold.

And about that time, a huge gust of wind rattled the foundation of the house, causing the floorboards and walls to creek. Not a moment later, the house went completely dark.

“Well shit.” John rumbled in annoyance.

“I concur.” Peter murmured, his eyes flickering vibrant blue in the darkness.

“What, you aren’t afraid of the dark are you?” Stiles’ said, mimicking Riddick’s voice from Pitch Black. His eerie but beautiful red Alpha eyes flickered in the direction of the doorway, and he said with a laugh, “It fucking works! Oh my god, I can like feel my pours tingling with energy. This is so fucking cool!”

“That’s great news, Stiles. Now, either you guys hold my hand down the stairs or someone get a couple of candles. Not all of us have night vision.” Melissa said with a smile.


	39. A Way Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once everyone was settled and eating, Derek told everyone the situation with the backup generators. “It’s strange because the ones I bought specifically are ok in this kind of weather.”
> 
> “Did you try heating them up?” Stiles asked curiously, “Like I dunno how, but maybe hugging it would have melted the ice?”
> 
> “Hugging it? Stiles, _really_?” Scott snorted.
> 
> “Well excuse me for giving a solution to the problem.” Stiles stuck his tongue out at his best friend.
> 
> “With it being that cold outside, I doubt _hugging_ it would have done much good. The generators were stuck to the ground encased in ice,” Derek admitted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Another chapter up. I hope you guys enjoy this one. It had me cackling up big time at the end, and you all will see why once you read. I will be working on Madness and Sink My Teeth Into You this up coming weekend and hopefully will have one or both chapters up for those soon.

**Chapter 39: A Way Out**

While Derek and Scott headed outside to check on the backup generators, the remainder of the pack sans Cora and Erica made quick work of lighting candles and making sure the fire place was lit on the bottom floor of the safehouse. Stiles rummaged through a closet for some blankets, figuring that the humans in the pack would appreciate the gesture. They had plenty of firewood for the fireplace at least, so that should help on keeping things warm in the living room and kitchen area. 

He paused to rub the medallion resting on his chest to be sure it was still there. Despite feeling 100% better and thankful not to have his magic being drained, he still couldn’t help being paranoid. True, the medallion had stopped the draining, and he knew that there was something else powerful it could be used for – though he wasn’t sure what, thanks to his dad being incredibly vague about it, Stiles couldn’t help but wonder if it was just a delay in the inevitable.

To have something as strong as whatever creature out there messing with Mother Nature plus draining his magic, it was pretty daunting to think about. Stiles just hoped that the pack was strong enough to deal with this foe once “doomsday” came around – and that he was strong enough. With a soft sigh, Stiles pulled his mind away from the doom ahead, and trying also not to think about Gerard, he closed the closet door and headed downstairs with his arms laden with blankets.

It really was no use worrying over everything right now.

Though he knew that ignoring a problem until it went away usually didn’t work in the grand scheme of things, Stiles figured he could at least put it off until they got the power back on.

\-------------

Derek scowled at the nearly frozen solid generator and sighed. Scott contemplated kicking the thing, but figured he’d rather not deal with a broken foot, regardless of his fast healing or not. The Beta looked around nervously as Derek started examining the generator in more detail. He was about ready to give up when he noticed it was getting harder to breathe. His breath was coming out in short steaming puffs, and trying to breathe through his nostrils was starting to get downright painful. Frozen nose hairs was definitely something he _wasn’t_ used to.

The temperature was dropping even more.

“I didn’t ever think I’d say this, but for the first time after you know, being bitten, I am actually kind of cold right now,” Scott admitted, rubbing his arms a bit to get his blood circulation going faster. “How cold do you think it is out here?”

“Single digits, maybe less,” Derek said with another sigh, watching his breath come out in a pour of steam that turned into small ice crystals. Standing up, he looked around, noting that the wind had stopped and now it was just silent. The silence was loud and ominous. And Scott was right, it was getting colder.

“Why does this somehow remind me of the movie _The Day After Tomorrow_?” Scott mused worriedly as they headed back to the safe-house entrance. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t fancy being turned into a frozen block of ice.”

The Alpha grunted in agreement as they met Cora and Erika at the door, both looking anxious to get inside. Once they got in, the warmth of the living space caused their toes and fingers to tingle uncomfortably.

“Fuck, it’s like freeze your tits, your balls, and your ass outside right now,” Erica cursed as she stomped her boots to get the snow and ice off of them near the entry way.

“Nice imagery, Catwoman,” Stiles quipped before noticing that everyone basically had icicles in their hair and even Derek had a bit of frost on his five o’clock shadow. “That doesn’t look good; you guys seriously look like you are in the competition for best cosplay of the Yeti award.”

“Shut up, loser,” Cora grumbled as she peeled her nearly frozen stiff scarf away from her throat. “Why don’t you go patrolling for a change? Looks like you are feeling better at least. Beats being cooped up in here, regardless of the cold.” 

“Yea, I’m feeling a million times better. Though, I am not sure if I am better as in ready to get my ass frozen off out there.” Stiles admitted, wrinkling his nose a bit.

“Stiles might be feeling better but he’s not taking one step outside this house until daybreak. The medallion is working so far, but I don’t want to push it just yet.” John said as he came in from the kitchen, laden down with bowls of hot soup, ignoring the look of disgust on Jackson’s face. Melissa and Peter followed suit, also carrying bowls. Stiles pouted, but then shrugged and got up to help out.

His stomach was practically screaming for food anyways.

Once everyone was settled and eating, Derek told everyone the situation with the backup generators. “It’s strange because the ones I bought specifically are ok in this kind of weather.”

“Did you try heating them up?” Stiles asked curiously, “Like I dunno how, but maybe hugging it would have melted the ice?”

“Hugging it? Stiles, _really_?” Scott snorted.

“Well excuse me for giving a solution to the problem.” Stiles stuck his tongue out at his best friend.

“With it being that cold outside, I doubt _hugging_ it would have done much good. The generators were stuck to the ground encased in ice,” Derek admitted.

“Why am I not surprised?” Danny shrugged, “Supernatural storm, supernatural weather manipulator – so maybe he or she wants to encase everything in ice now?”

The sheriff ran a hand through his long hair in thought before he said, “I am going to see if I can warm up the generator using a heating charm. If it’s going to keep on getting colder, then I want everyone to stay inside. I suggest suspending patrols for right now until it’s safer for the pack to be outside. The wards should hold off any evil intruder or at least tell us if some physical body comes in contact with them. So we will have some warning.”

The pack agreed with that sentiment. No one really wanted to be out freezing their asses off anyways.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Stiles mused as he watched his dad bundle up and head outside, Peter in tow.

“Because you’ve been sick for two days straight. Your brain obviously is down for the count still,” Jackson teased, before he forced himself to eat more of the tomato soup in front of him.

Stiles rolled his eyes but focused on eating before his stomach came outside of his skin to grab the sustenance. Derek warmed his hands on his bowl of soup before he, too dug in. After the pack had consumed their fill of soup and sandwiches, they all sat around the fireplace, dozing or telling scary stories. Boyd and Erica were curled up on the floor near the fire, the Beta making sure her boyfriend had enough blankets encasing him to rival a human looking burrito. Boyd’s cold was getting better, but he still looked miserable with a box of lotion enhanced tissues nearby. Alec was also on the floor, dozing a bit near the couple. The rest of the pack were lounging in sofas and chairs, soaking up the heat, even if the Weres really didn’t need to. 

Peter and John eventually came back inside with the news that the charms didn’t work. The ice was too thick and supernaturally enforced. 

“We could always use the medallion, dad,” Stiles suggested, even though he had no idea how it could be used as a weapon.

John nodded slowly, “I’ve been actually thinking about that. It might work, though it could be pretty dangerous if it backfires. If I can remember the spell, then we could try it.” Arching a brow, he thought for a moment, pacing the room a few times, ignoring the pack watching him with speculative eyes. 

“Backfire… that doesn’t sound too appealing,” Stiles murmured. “Would it backfire on the castor or just the person holding the medallion?”

“If I remember correctly, the backfire could be either one or both,” John admitted.

Stiles bit his lip. He was still recovering from the past couple of days. Granted, he felt a whole lot better and was actually functioning like his normal self, but he wasn’t sure if he was altogether keen on the idea of having to recover from another thing. As he looked around at the somber faces of the pack, including Derek sitting by his side, with his feet touching his, Stiles figured it was all worth it. They were worth it.

His pack was worth it.

“How bad would it be? As in like, a scale from one to ten – one being normal backlash fatigue from a faulty spell, ten being death?” Stiles asked softly. The older Elf stopped his pacing and put his hands on either side of the sofa that his son and Derek were lounging on. He ran his fingers across the soft faux suede fabric, his eyes meeting Peter’s from across the way. Peter had opted to lounge in a wing backed chair, farther away from the fireplace. The former Alpha studied John for a bit before his eyes broke the contact.

John finally said, “Honestly?” He shrugged, “I would say probably a seven?”

That definitely wasn’t a nice thing to think about. However, what other choice did they have? It was either risk getting knocked off his feet and being magically drained for a while again or have the entire pack and possibly all of Beacon Hills turn into a frozen cemetery.

Derek reached over and ran his fingers down Stiles’ arm before interlacing them with the Elf hybrid’s. “I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit, but what other choice do we have?”

John nodded slowly after the pack was silent for a few minutes. By unspoken agreement, they were going to go ahead and try the spell. 

\-------------------------------------------------------

Melissa and the others stayed where they were, sans Derek, John, Peter, and Stiles. Scott had nearly forced his way into going downstairs to the basement with the four, if not for the fact that John had put up a barrier. Stiles had turned to look at his best friend and tried to give him a reassuring smile that failed on epic proportions. 

Scott watched his buddy continue downstairs and into the basement out of his line of sight. With a loud huff, he sat down on the steps, near the barrier, feeling totally useless. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust John to be able to pull this all off, it was just that he wanted to be able to help if needed. He wanted to be there for Stiles. 

The two of them had been best friends for so long, it just didn’t feel right not going down there with him. Granted, Scott knew he’d been a total douchebag to Stiles a few months back when he’d been dealing with the whole Werewolf thing, but he’d done his best to make it up to him. Regardless of all that, Scott knew deep in his heart that he couldn’t help Stiles. Not this time.And it was eating him up inside.

He stiffened slightly but then relaxed when he felt Isaac’s presence. The Beta sat down with a small huff and reached over to stroke his boyfriend’s hair. The act was calming, and soon Scott leaned into the other boy’s embrace. He still wasn’t sure how this all was going to work. Isaac was a beautiful boy, even if he was eccentric and moody at times. Scott almost felt like he totally didn’t deserve the attention he was getting from the other Beta, but he really didn’t want it to stop.

The pack on the ground floor waited silently, their thoughts on deep internal things, the scent of worry and even a bit of fear permeated the air. 

Waiting was always the worst.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

When John had explained to the pack that it would be best to have just himself, Peter, Stiles, and Derek present while the spell was recited, the pack had been uneasy about it, but it wasn’t like there was a choice. If there was a backlash, then it seemed in the pack’s interest not to be in the same room, lest they get caught up in it. 

Stiles looked around the large cellar like basement, noting that it was not only completely bare but there were wards placed on every single wall. Some were etched into the concrete, others painted in blood. With a curious sniff, Stiles noted that this was only one side of the basement. The other was closed off and he had a sneaky suspicion that his dad had something to do with that. Still, they weren’t down here for him to go exploring.

He still didn’t like the thought of Peter being down here with him, because duh, the guy was the king of creepiness. But, his dad had insisted on the Beta being down there with them, using the words ‘just in case’.

He really didn’t like those words.

Stiles jumped slightly when he felt Derek put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Derek didn’t like this either, but the Alpha knew they had to at least try. If they could use the medallion as a weapon to disable the evil foe creating chaos around them for at least a few days, then that would be perhaps a window of opportunity to hunt it down. 

“So what will happen if it does work?” Stiles asked his dad, watching the older man pull out a pouch of mountain ash from a small satchel at his hip.

John smiled wickedly, saying, “If it does work, then all of the enemy’s power will be drained completely, leaving it very vulnerable to attack, and unable to stay a threat. The power however is gotta go somewhere.”

“Which is why you have mountain ash,” Derek commented softly, nodding, “The medallion might not be able to hold everything.”

“Correct,” John affirmed as he motioned for everyone to get into the center of the room. Once the four were situated comfortably – or as comfortably as anyone could be in this sort of situation, the older Elf sprinkled the mountain ash around them, forming a circle.

Peter stayed silent, though his eyes were calculating all of John’s movements. Despite the whole fact of this might not working, he was definitely curious to see this little display. Being no stranger when it came to rituals, Peter found any kind of spellwork intriguing, especially if it was new to him. He still wondered a bit as to why John wanted him here. Barring the thought of needing to still keep Peter under a tight leash, the former Alpha figured there was something more to it than that.

It was definitely puzzling.

But, Peter always loved puzzles.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

A lone cloaked figure stood on top of a ravine, overlooking the snow covered hills and valley that made up the Preserve and Beacon Hills. One hand clutched a tall scythe with black cruel blades. His pale skin almost as white as the snow around him was not bothered by the coldness in the air. Frosty grey eyes glanced up at the half moon, shining bright in its magnificence, paling the beauty of the stars. Without the light pollution coming from Beacon Hills, he could now see the Milky Way in its glory, constellations gracing the sky every once in a while. 

It truly was an amazing sight to behold.

Narrowing his eyes at his surroundings, the figure knew that it was almost time. All the key pieces in the life sized chess board were put into place. It was all now up to fate and his master. 

He’d done his job, and had done it efficiently. No one in their right mind would know it had been him doing all this. He’d been overly careful in covering his magical signature and his tracks. Even if his master’s plan didn’t work, he’d still be in the clear of any wrongdoing. His master knew better than to try and punish him for a botched plan. 

He almost half-wished that the plan wouldn’t work, and that his master would have to be reduced to starting all over again. It would do the asshole some good. Humbleness never had been his master’s strong point. But, though he didn’t have the ability to choose his own master, he did have the ability to make changes to the chess board without betraying his chains of servitude.

Perhaps, it would be a good thing to create a ripple.

But not now. If his master’s plan didn’t work, then he would make a calculated move. 

With a soft sigh, the figure left the area, disappearing into the night, his tall black boots not making any tracks or sound in his wake.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Stiles waited with baited breath, Derek standing behind him, hands of support on his shoulders. John stood in front of Stiles, his hands holding the medallion still dangling from his son’s neck. Peter stood behind John a bit awkwardly at first before the older male gave him the ok to touch him. The Beta huffed a soft sigh and reached out to support the Elf just in case he needed it. Though Peter was still, by far, the weakest wolf out of the pack, he still had more power than an average healthy human. 

He just hoped that John wouldn’t need it. Peter had had enough time in the past six years or so being catatonic after the fire. The power he had right now wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. 

John had recited the spell to himself several times, making sure he’d remembered all the words and phrases correctly before actually making an attempt to utter the spell. Now, he was pretty confident that he had everything right, so after taking a moment to clear his thoughts and take in the scents and sounds around him, he started up the chanting.

His voice was soft but steady and direct. He was no amateur when it came to anything spell related, and though he never had to do this spell before, he knew all the mechanics to it. Being trained in the Royal Guard had instilled so much data into his brain that chanting a spell like this was easy. It was knowing when to abort mission if the spell backfired – that was the tricky part.

As he finished his chanting, the metal of the medallion grew hot in his hands. That was the only warning they had before a flash of raw, white light blinded everyone. Stiles could faintly hear the resulting boom behind the static that made his hair stand on end. He could smell burning flesh, taste blood in the back of his throat, as the magic flew around them like one pissed off tornado.

Vaguely Stiles wondered if this is what it felt like to be the Tasmanian Devil on Looney Tunes. 

As soon and abrupt as the power surged, it went out and got sucked into the medallion. Blinking his eyes to clear the nasty sparkle spots in his vision, Derek noted that Stiles had nearly collapsed against him, the boy smelling a bit like charcoal. He had no outward signs of trauma, and he was rubbing his eyes a bit, but otherwise was ok. The Sheriff looked none the worse for wear besides probably feeling a bit shaken due to the surge. Peter on the other hand looked – _what the **hell**?_

The former alpha let out a whine as he moved around the Sheriff to sniff at his leg. Big, floppy white ears adorned the pure white wolf cub, along with a small but bushy tail that was going back and forth almost as fast as a propeller. Bright neon blue eyes stared accusingly with a hint of worry up at the Sheriff. It was as if Peter was trying and failing to hide his worry for his master, though he also seemed a bit pissed off.

Stiles looked at Derek and both started laughing.

Even the Sheriff, though still a bit stunned, started sniggering at this new development.

Puppy Peter took it as an insult and grumpily glowered at the Alphas and his master as if to say, “Really?” After the laughs continued, the former Alpha sat down on his pudgy, small hindquarters and growled.

The sound was so adorable and non-threatening enough that even Peter thought it sounded pathetic. With a small whine, the cub buried his nose into thick paws and he sighed dramatically, wondering how the hell this had happened. Karma really was a bitch.

\---------------------------------------------------

“You’re late,” the tall, bespectacled man said, disappointment thick in his voice.

The cloaked figure shrugged, “Someone siphoned off my power.”

At the other male’s look of shock, pale lips opened to reveal a fanged wicked smile, “I’ll get it back, no need to worry.”

“Do you know who did it? Was it the Stilinski brat?” His master spat, “This better not mess up my plans.”

“It might have been, considering I wasn’t able to draw his power for the last few days. He might have figured out a way to reverse the spell. How ingenious if that is what he did. But it doesn’t matter. I’ll get it back soon.” The cloaked man stated softly, “And no, it won’t hurt your blessed plans, master.”

“Good. See that it doesn’t,” his master grunted and turned to walk back to the empty school, the snow already starting to melt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, puppy Peter. Couldn't help myself. Now, here is the question, who are the new foes? I hope I didn't give too many hints on the master evil dude. And no, they are not Uriel or Caleb, obviously. Hope you guys enjoyed :)

**Author's Note:**

> *When I say loose canon for season 1 and season 2, it means I pick and choose what I want to be in my story and twist it around a bunch. Also, VERY long story, therefore the timeline moves a bit slower, and I am a plot obsessive author. So, sorry about that. Derek is also a bit out of character. Don’t worry – he will slam Stiles into walls like normal, it’s just I have him thinking things through more, and he actually uses his words. Stiles is also a bit out of character, but I tried to make him as snarky as possible.*


End file.
